‘Systems Convening’ book launch webinar – 2nd September (2pm)

Join ‘Communities of Practice’ pioneers Etienne and Beverley Wenger-Trayner for the launch of their new book ‘Systems Convening – a crucial form of leadership for the 21st century’, which features the work of a number of Q community convenors.

More info and link to book: https://q.health.org.uk/event/systems-convening-book-launch-webinar/

Liberating Structures are mentioned in the book as tools that convenors often use, and this what Liberating Structures co-founder Keith McCandless wrote in his foreword comment:
“This is the hour, the day, the year, the century for systems conveners. As we face down climate change and social justice challenges, the leadership described in this book is both worthy and elusive. A bow to the authors, sponsors and the conveners who spotlight the role.
Systems conveners and Liberating Structures practitioners focus attention on the relationships among the parties in contrast to the parts themselves. They span and broker and bridge-build and weave across boundaries, inclusively shaping solutions in the space between. They attune to the deep embeddedness of system nested in system, nested in system, ad infinitum. They delight in unearthing the unexamined interdependencies and hidden opportunities that arise as convening unfolds over time. It is leadership requiring a long view of the future, while unleashing action in the present.
Productive convening work is guided by a shared social need to make a difference and a series of self discoveries made possible in the context of a group – an ensemble of people with very different backgrounds. I applaud all leaders who choose to walk through the door labeled ‘systems convener’. There is no end in sight in regard to what we need to learn. See you on the other side!”
[NB I’ll paste some further paras, that weren’t incuded – specifically about Liberating Structures – below]

The Wenger-Trayners interviewed 40 systems convenors – including a number of Q Community members – who are using this approach around the world, working on diverse issues ranging from improving government transparency to enhancing cancer care.

Systems Convenors work to enable sustainable change, across challenging silos, in complex social landscapes, amid changing circumstances. Convenors see a landscape with all its separate and related practices through a wide-angle lens: they spot opportunities for creating new learning spaces and partnerships that will bring different and often unlikely people together to engage in learning across boundaries.

From the book’s introduction: “You may not have heard about them; what they do is rarely in their job description. You may not even be aware of what they do; they tend to act as enablers rather than taking credit or seeking the spotlight”.

The role of Systems Convenors is increasingly necessary in UK healthcare too, with the emergence of the NHS Integrated Care System (ICS) structure making cross-boundary work ever more important. (Surrey recently recruited three ‘Systems Convenors’ to help stimulate radical changes in healthcare, using the book as a guide).

Helen Bevan (Chief Transformation Officer, NHS Horizons) writes in her foreword comment: “We’re moving to a world where enabling change is less about planning a change process, programme management and governance systems and more about connecting, convening and building bridges with and between many people. So yes, systems convening is a crucial form of leadership for the 21st century and I welcome the contribution that Bev and Etienne are making through this book. Let’s answer their convening call.”

More from Keith McCandless’ ‘Systems Convening’ foreword comment:

‘Productive convening work is guided by a shared social need to make a difference AND a series of self discoveries made possible in the context of a group – an ensemble of people with very different backgrounds. When I am playing a systems convener role, there is a logical flow of questions for the ensemble of participants to answer together.

For example, invitations (specified with Liberating Structures referenced in brackets) can help guide the journey. What purpose is so compelling that it justifies our work together to the larger community? [9 Whys] When we decide we need each other, what simple rules guide fidelity and enduring connection in the practice community? [Min Specs] What parts of myself should come forward in this work? What do we need from other functional groups, disciplines, and each other to make progress? [Generative Relationships, What I Need From You] Where are we starting, really? [LS TRIZ, What-So-What- Now-What?] Given our purpose, what seems possible now? [1-2-4-All, 25/10 Crowdsourcing] How are we acting our way toward the future, evaluating what is possible as we go? [Ecocycle, Panarchy]”

Follow Systems Convening on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SysConvening