Adaptive Action Labs

Around the world, turbulence and uncertainty create barriers to productivity and wellbeing.  Whoever you are, wherever you live, and whatever you do, you confront the complex patterns of unpredictable change. The theory and practice of human systems dynamics can help you thrive at work and at home.

In the past 18 months, or so, the patterns in your life have been interrupted. In some cases, they have been shifted beyond repair--both in your home life and in your work life. The old "normal" is no longer available. You cannot just "go back" to the patterns that existed in the pre-pandemic times. Around the globe, significant changes in social, political, and economic patterns have increased the complexity of your day-to-day existence. In such a complex world, your old stories are not robust enough to represent your current day-to-day experience. You need a new narrative to capture the realities you face and to frame your expectations and assumptions.

We are living in turbulent, chaotic, and complex times. Right now, every hour seems to bring a new challenge, and change feels more and more radical. Resources are short, and expectations are high. People who are under great stress can become defensive and erratic, or passive and helpless. Novel problems demand creative solutions, at the same time that our organizations and teams are stretching to the breaking point.

In simpler times change came slowly, if at all. Consultants could learn models and methods in graduate school and use them throughout a career. They could take a solution that worked with one client and confidently transfer it to another. Those days are gone. Today, consultants must be master learners and experts at inquiry. HSD-informed consultants bring adaptive capacity to help clients tame the wicked issues that emerge from their complex environments.

Systemic racism tears at the fiber of organizations, communities, and families. The insidious impact of historical decisions effect almost every aspect of your life regardless of your race or ethnicity. You may be aware of this fact but feel overwhelmed by the challenge of bringing about change. You recognize that change is needed at all scales and across diverse settings and situations, but you do not know how you can make a difference.