Inter-Connection

Flourishing regions are densifying relational ecosystems. We leverage relationship and technology to overlap networks and lubricate increasing density. Below are frameworks, not prescriptions, on nurturing inter-connection.

“The main actor on the stage of lasting culture change is the Dense Network." -John Seel, Network Power

Social Network Science

The natural world, whether it's the human body, a jungle, a garden, etc. is an ecosystem of complex interconnected networks. "Network Science" seeks to decode these complex systems.

We are practitioners of "social network science" with the goal densify inter-connected social networks within a region for healing and flourishing. We work towards social suffering stats decreasing. We want to see more people in the game and collaboration increase. How do we do this? By building network density.

Density-Building: Eye-Ball to Eye-Ball

Like a sports team coming in for a huddle and like soldiers briefing between missions, reliable and high-impact gatherings give teams connectivity to carry-out their aligned mission as individuals with a high-degree of role clarity. We call this "Connection over Content. Overtime, the result is: "This is who I am, what I do, why it matters, and this is how we all work together better." As relationships deepen and trust increases, collaboration and coordination increases, decreasing waste and increasing impact. Below is an example of how a city could increase density within their networks.

Cause Networks:

Cause Leaders gather champions monthly, rotating between in-person and virtual. Encourage individuals to connect between gatherings.

Geographical Networks:

Network Leaders gather government, church, non-profit and other leaders monthly, in-person.

Affinity Networks:

Network Leaders creatively gather based on similar affinity-networks to optimize density-building. For workplaces that could mean weekly. For neighborhoods could mean quarterly.

All Networks:

Bi-Annual Gathering of all Network Leaders.
Annual Celebration: Largest gathering that highlights all network leaders and allows every person to explore and self-select where they invest their time, talent, and treasure to increase network impact.

Density-Building: with Technology

Technology greases the skids to increased relational density-building. It does not replace the relational work. That is the hard work. A myriad of tech builders are working to extract data-points, connect nodes, strengthen teams, and inter-connect networks.

Increasing network density occurs very slowly in the analog. It's sped-up with the wise stewarding of technology. Let us know if you are a techie interested in being a part of the solution.

Messy, Until

This work is messy and always will be. And it's The Work. "The World will know I have come when they Love Each Other". "Let them be one as we are one, I in you, you in me."

When the World Knows Jesus came is when each soul is grounded, at rest, attached and secure to unshakeable, unconditional, and everlasting Love. As we grow in spiritual and emotion maturity, we become better at Loving each other with nothing to hide, prove, or fear. Especially our "enemies". However. we are always a work in progress.

We use tools and guides like Rooting for Rivals, Divided We Stand, Until Unity, Swing, TrustEdge, Difficult Conversations, Dayton Mediation Center, Not In It to Win It, the Enneagram, Working Genius, Cloverleaf, StrengthsFinder, Saboteurs, Brene' Brown's work and other resources to help us navigate relational messiness with an enduring hope and commitment to showing up to each other.

"Ultimately, every relationship is inherently conflictual." said a conflict-mediation coach. Each tension-point is an opportunity to lean-out or lean-in and embody what Love is asking of us in a given moment. It is deep work that has everything to do with our family of origin, attachment style, the wounds and lies we carry, and the level of healing we've experienced. This work is about individual and communal formation in a variety of overlapping contexts. We'll rustle each others feathers, be intentionally or unintentionally harmful to each other, and do things that gain and lose trust, whether perceived or real.

To ignore this reality is asking for trouble. To acknowledge and press into this reality is to show up. Again, this is messy. And, it's why Jesus came. The world will not know the deep of Love of God until we Love each other. Getting better at Loving each other is how Heaven comes to earth, where we live, and who we're with.

Let's Go.