Storm Beach

If you are interested in coaching and / or systems thinking then this could be a good read for you. It starts with a really strong metaphor that systems are like the spots on a peacock’s tail, the experience of joining and belonging to many different systems.

 Whittington then goes on to describe:

“These Organising forces, rather like those that influence the weather system, are beyond human intervention and exist in order to sustain a dynamic balance in systems. They create invisible fields of influence over everything in their path. Although invisible, you can see their effects. Imagine it like a magnet. You can see the effect it has on the iron filings, but you can’t see the magnetic field that’s at work.”

In particular he explores time, place and exchange:

• The organising principle of TIME. What comes first in a system has a natural precedence over what follows. However, what comes later has priority.
• The organising principle of PLACE. Everyone, and everything, has a right to a different but unique and respected place in the system.
• The organising principle of EXCHANGE. A dynamic balance of giving and receiving is required in systems.

 These alone provide excellent coaching prompts. But if you want to go into more detail and take a constellations approach then I would summarise the next steps as:

1. List out all the elements (of the system).
2. Map these out in a meaningful way.
3. Describe movement (orientation and direction of attention) and sentences (illuminate and resolve the hidden dynamics).

Whittington provides 4 questions in particular that can help top and tail this approach. And for fun I have asked coaches and groups to use objects to hand to represent different elements and even created more memorable maps that resonate with the issue, such as: tube maps, treasure maps and my personal favourite for Tolkien fans Middle Earth.