Consulting & Facilitation
catalysing Symmathesic Agency
Seeding Symmathesic Agency
Many change, leadership, OD and education programmes promise results they rarely deliver. Conventional interventions tend to focus on what is absent, not on what is present which means organisations miss the opportunity to make more of what they have.
Alternative approaches are needed to transform financial investment into meaningful benefits. In our experience, this means focusing less on driving people on command towards pre-ordained goals; and more on expanding their capacity for Presence in Action (TM) i.e. having the acuity, agility, fluency and artistry to take fit-for-purpose action amidst unpredictable, uncertain conditions – within the context of their roles and contributions in life. Imbuing this approach is our recognition of Natural Inclusion and the Sufficiency Principle which admits (i.e. acknowledges, accepts as valid and allows in) nature’s life-regenerating dance in which Enough=Enough (Enough Equals Enough).
Nora Bateson (2016:169) coined the term “symmathesize – to generate mutual contextual learning through interaction”. In her doctoral inquiry, Louie has developed this further into the concept of “Symmathesic Agency: the meta-conscious capacity to engage in mutual contextual learning through self-centering interaction in place in space in time” (Gardiner, 2022). This weaves in Nora’s new term “symmathesy/symmathesize” with Louie’s own doctoral insights arising from the use of the P6 Constellation in generating the capacity of Presence in Action – which she suggests – seeds the meta-conscious capacity of Symmathesic Agency. This concept has evolved through deep praxis, informed by a complexity thinking paradigm and the principle of Natural Inclusion (Rayner, 2004, 2016, 2017). Arguably, leaders in any corporate body, public or educational institution would do well to develop Symmathesic Agency, by extending their own and their staff’s capacities to engage with themselves from the inside-out through Presence in Action.
Presence in Action begins within
We suggest that organisations can no longer rely on the few at the top to discern, decide and act well and wisely – as the complexity we all face is simply too great and too fast moving. For this reason, we seek to work not only with managers and leaders but other key players within your organisation to develop the capacity for Presence in Action in more of your staff as a way of seeding widespread Symmathesic Agency. Our assumption is that the more people with this self-centering, meta-conscious capacity, the more resilient, resourceful and regenerative your organisation will be.
With this in mind, we work intentionally, collaboratively and consciously with you in real time, on real issues, helping you to attend to the re-generative well-being of you, your stakeholders, organisation(s) and communities.
