How We Work
The Mission of Inquiry & Learning for Change
Co-creating networks of democratic, adaptive, and values-driven schools, districts, and organizations that are deeply and organically connected to their communities. We believe that transformation for a more equitable, socially and racially just, and thriving society is possible – is necessary! – through emergent new ways of being and co-designing together, iterating shifts in systems towards these values we hold, “rewilding” for more biodiverse human ecosystems, and designing for radically inclusive, compassionate, and reciprocal relationships in communities that focus on learning, healing, thriving, and accomplishment. Come adventure with us!
Inquiry & Learning for Change coaches, consults, and does research and evaluation with schools, school districts, businesses, non-profits, and government agencies in an approach that is dynamic, responsive, and strongly grounded in substantive theory with clear, practical applications. Inquiry & Learning for Change supports innovative leadership that accelerates emergence, team development that brings together diverse perspectives for creative and equitable design, and positive, reflective organizational transformation.
Our work focuses on:
- helping your organizational leaders and staff members clarify values, purposes, and vision
- “weaving” broad and dense learning networks of learning communities and communities of practice within and across organizations
- crafting real time professional adult public learning and knowledge management spaces and systems that support new organizational structures and a culture of innovation and accomplishment
- guiding emergent innovation that “fractalizes” into new patterns of knowledge and practice, resulting in the focused creation of programs, activities, and organizational infrastructure that purposefully enact those values and vision to accomplish your desired results
- hosting space for organizational coherence and alignment to develop in ways that feel seamless, personalized, and responsive to your clients and membership, and to the broader community in which your organization does its work
- re-envisioning schools as sites of learning deeply embedded in large social learning networks, re-imagined in the context of 21st century innovative practice.
Inquiry & Learning for Change works…
…hands-on and over the long term with all of your organizational members. We help develop leadership, engage in strategic thinking, help leaders “notice, name, nurture, and illuminate” the work of emergent pioneer innovators (Wheatley), and create the emergent organizational systems necessary for your organizational transformation to be effective. We support your design and enactment of a fundamental, transformational change agenda. Our work is designed to enable your organization to achieve sustainable and wise growth, thriving, and accomplishment.
Inquiry & Learning for Change uses…
…Innovative Coaching and Facilitation Techniques and broadly participatory inquiry processes to work with leaders, leadership and other teams, stakeholder groups, and whole organizations, in small or large group settings, to address organizational change agendas. Some of those techniques come from the Cynefin Framework, Open Space Technology, World Cafe, Future Search, Meg Wheatley’s work on identity, information, and relationship, Tim Dalmau’s Process Enneagrams, Peggy Holman’s work on emergence, Chris Corrigan’s development of Cynefin processes, the Chaordic Stepping Stones, and Convening facilitation processes, Jung’s ideas about the Hero’s Journey, and a host of tools from new and old organizational development literature. Also we love using sticky notes for problem framing, concept mapping, and problem solving!