Why is this important?

Ultimately this describes how we balance death and birth as leaders. We need to understand the current and emerging systems so that we can actively guide and support them. When one system is in decline, another system is emerging. There is a tension between the “old” and the “new”, and as leaders we can hospice the declining system while also midwifing the emerging system.

What knowledge from the current system should be saved because it has value to the emerging system?

Explaining the illustration/model:

This chart illustrates the Berkana Two Loops Model by Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze, which describes the transition between an existing dominant system and an emerging system. The dominant system is depicted as the upper loop, where pioneers initiate innovation and change. As the dominant system reaches its limits, protectors within the system work to sustain it, while others engage in hospice work, helping the system transition or decline gracefully. This phase marks the transition period, where elements of the old system either adapt or dissolve, creating space for new paradigms.

The lower loop represents the emergent system, which begins with outliers and pioneers connecting to build networks. These connections foster the development of communities of practice, where new ideas, methods, and values are nurtured and strengthened. As these networks grow, they gain influence and gradually replace the dominant system. Some aspects of the old system “compost” into the new, meaning they are either repurposed or serve as a foundation for innovation.

Over time, as the emergent system gains traction, it starts influencing the broader landscape, eventually becoming the new dominant system. This model highlights the cyclical nature of change, emphasizing the importance of pioneers, network-building, and the coexistence of multiple systems during transition periods. The process is not linear but requires intentional nurturing of new structures while respectfully allowing outdated ones to fade.

Credit: Andreotti, Vanessa Machado de Oliveira. Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity’s Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism. North Atlantic Books, 2021.