The Bay Area SoL Community (BASoL) is made up of a diverse group of practitioners, consultants and researchers dedicated to improving our knowledge and effectiveness in practicing organizational and societal learning.
Our meetings are open to all, and are held at Saybrook University (www.saybrook.edu).
747 Front Street in San Francisco - a short walk from the Embarcadero Bart station and the Ferry Building. Saybrook is wheelchair accessible.
The Upward Spiral: Bootstrapping Systemic Change in 2012
With Elizabeth Doty, author of The Compromise Trap
Friday, Jan 27, 2012
As we head into 2012, many of us have a sense of emerging possibility -- if we can rise to the occasion. Many systems are at tipping points, from our organizations to our economy, our society and the environment.
In times like these, it matters immensely how each of us shows up. If we fall into downward spirals of cynicism, distrust, and blame, we threaten our ability to address our most important challenges and act on our visions of a better future. Yet it is also possible to spark an upward spiral, even in the most difficult situations.If downward spirals describe deterioration, the upward spiral is a metaphor for growth. In the natural world, many organisms grow via a spiraling pattern. As a metaphor, the upward spiral suggests a way to raise one another’s level of aspiration, commitment and action -- even those with whom we most disagree. If you knew how to spark an upward spiral, what would you attempt? Would you strive to mobilize your team around a new mission? Engage your entire staff, not just the passionate few? Increase collaboration with your peers... or your boss? Infuse your organization with higher values? Build a society that works for all? Please join us as we explore the upward spiral as a guiding metaphor for bootrapping systemic change.
Our intention is that by the end of the session, you will:
- Renew your energy and clarity about a change you would like to see
- Be able to identify hidden resources for change in any situation
- Learn the new "action-signal" method and three simple rules for building upward spirals
- Plan a 30-day upward spiral experiment, and work with peers to get it started
Elizabeth Doty is the founder of WorkLore, a leadership consulting firm. Organizations such as Intuit and Stanford University hire her to help them build cultures of commitment and action. Roy Shapiro of the Harvard Business School says, “No one in the world is better than Elizabeth Doty at creating the conditions for upward spirals of trust, collaboration and excellence.” Elizabeth is the author of The Compromise Trap: How to Thrive at Work without Selling your Soul, which teaches leaders ways of reversing unhealthy workplace pressure. She has given speeches and workshops at The Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, the OD Network, and the Business Ethics Network. She is a board member of the Berrett-Koehler Authors Cooperative, and earned her MBA from the Harvard Business School.
If possible, please read the following in advance:
What is an Upward Spiral?
How Do I RSVP? Please RSVP to solrsvp@worklore.com.ow
Do I Find Out More? Click here to find out more about the session on our website.
Stewards Circle:
Elizabeth Doty, Alain Gauthier, Bernice Moore, Ken Homer, Nancy Southern, Sally Stewart, Jim Martin,
Contact Elizabeth to join the mailing list.
BASoL website! Please visit us.
Bay Area SoL members enter here
