The$Eec(ve$Groups$Reading$List

Introduc(on$to$the$Eec(ve$Groups$Reading$List

page$2

Why$this$reading$list?
People$o;en$ask$me$for$recommended$books$for$the$Eec(ve$Groups$course$and$associated$resources,$and$I$really$struggle$because$there$are$so$
many$books,$for$so$many$dierent$purposes.$So$I$have$put$this$list$together$to$cover$the$dierent$areas.$Personally$I$nd$reading$lists$deathly$boring,$
so$I've$put$it$together$in$this$way$to$try$and$make$it$more$visual$and$engaging$and$to$give$a$sense$of$each$book.$
One$of$the$key$messages$of$the$Eec(ve$Groups$course$is$that$there$are$no$quick$xes$or$single$answers$that$will$make$a$group$or$organisa(on$work$
eec(vely$or$be$really$successful.$This$reading$list$aJempts$to$reinforce$this$message$by$providing$a$range$of$books$that$will$do$a$variety$of$things,$in$a$
range$of$dierent$situa(ons.$
It$depends$what$type$of$situa(on$you$are$in,$what$kind$of$culture$you$have$in$your$group,$what$the$dominant$values$are$and$par(cular$tensions$are$in$
your$group,$as$to$what$approach$will$best$work.$It$also$depends$on$your$own$personal$preferences,$values,$learning$styles$etc.$as$to$which$type$of$book$
or$approach$to$working$in$groups$will$work$for$you.
How$is$it$arranged?
This$list$lays$out$a$range$of$books$organised$by$dierent$approaches.$Some$may$be$very$interes(ng$to$you,$some$may$want$to$make$you$throw$up$or$
lose$the$will$to$live,$but$all$are$probably$useful$in$some$ways,$but$not$all$necessarily$to$you.$Some$of$the$books$are$specically$for$collabora(ve$groups,$
others$more$for$organisa(ons$more$generally$and$others$for$businesses$more$specically.$This$is$an$area$full$of$overlaps$since$organisa(ons$and$
businesses$are$full$of$groups,$and$innova(ve$prac(ces$in$businesses$could$make$social$change$groups$much$more$eec(ve.$So$some$transla(on$
between$contexts$may$be$required,$and$very$useful$if$you$are$willing$to$make$the$eort.$
Part$15$Skills$for$working$in$groups
The$rst$pages$4L12$are$specically$about$the$skills,$perspec(ves$and$approaches$which$can$help$people$work$more$eec(vely$in$groups,$teams$and$
organisa(ons.$Where$relevant,$I$have$linked$parts$of$this$reading$list$to$specic$tools$or$areas$on$the$Eec(ve$Groups$Canvas.$
Part$25$The$larger$context5$complexity,$resilience,$sustainability,$enterprise,$economic$ecosystems$and$the$cosmos
Then$I$couldn't$resist$puQng$books$in$about$the$larger$context$within$which$our$groups$and$organisa(ons$exist,$since$they$are$all$so$shaped$by$the$
context.$So$pages$12L15$are$about$larger$contexts$of$complexity,$resilience,$sustainability,$enterprise,$economic$ecosystems$and$the$largest$context$of$
allL$the$evolu(on$of$the$cosmos.$

v1$Nick$Osborne,$nick@responseLability.org.uk,$30/01/2013

page$3

the empowerment manual: a guide for collaborative

groups

approaches for collaborative groups

page 4
the integral vision
a theory of everything
spiral dynamics
start-up communities: building an entrepreneurial
ecosystem in your city
the resilient enterprise
new internationalist: teamwork

creating a life together: practical tools to grow

ecovillages and intentional communities
we the people: consenting to a deeper democracy. A
guide to sociocratic principles and methods
people & permculture: caring and designing for
ourselves, each other and the planet

the bigger picture

page 15

the IAF handbook of group facilitation

integral consciousness

the complete facilitators handbook

expanding the context: enterprises,

coops and economic ecosystems
page 14

facilitator's guide to participatory facilitation

collaborative & participatory facilitation

page 5

the skilled facilitator fieldbook

playing with fire

architecting resilient systems

201 icebreakers

resilience thinking
building personal and organisational resilience
business dynamics

visual meetings

resilience, complexity and sustainability

page 13

communication & facilitation tools

page 6

complexity theory for a suetainable future

complexity and management

changing conversations in organisations

think on your feet

gamestorming: a playbook for innovators, rulebreakers and changemakers

Contents

complex responsive processes in organisations

the emergence of leadership

unfolding the back of the napkin

joining together: group theory and group skills

applying insights from the complexity

sciences to groups and organisations
page 12

the paradox of control in organisations

dialogue: and the art of thinking together

collections of tools and methods

page 7

open space technology

complexity and the experience of leading

organisations
practical quality assurance system for small
organisations

the change handbook: the definitive resource on

today's best methods for engaging whole systems

appreciative inquiry

a conventional approach
page 11
working with differences
page 8

Holacracy
the starfish and the spider: the unstoppable power of
leaderless organisations
the fractal organisation: creating sustainable
organisations with the Viable Systems Model
the lean start-up: how constant innovation creates
radically successful businesses

polarity management
the wisdom of the enneagram
diagnosing and changing organisational culture
competing values leadership

agile organisations
page 10

leadership theory and practice

tribal leadership

leadership
page 9

resilient leadership for turbulent times

handbook of leadership development
the practice of adaptive leadership
synchronicity: the path of inner leadership

Approaches$for$Collabora(ve$Groups$

page$4

Drawn$from$Starhawk's$
considerable$experience$of$
working$with$collabora(ve$groups,$
this$book$is$a$very$helpful$guide$for$
people$wan(ng$to$work$more$
collabora(velyL$with$values$such$as$
coLopera(on,$par(cipa(on,$social$
jus(ce,$equality,$inclusion,$building$
shared$understanding,$consensus$
powerLwith$rather$than$powerL
over$structures.$Includes$lots$of$
insights,$(ps$and$prac(cal$
ac(vi(es,$within$a$framework$
rooted$in$her$characteris(c$blend$
of$spirituality$and$ac(vism,$as$well$
as$an$entertaining$story$woven$
through$the$book

A$guide$which$covers$all$aspects$
of$working$collabora(vely$to$
create$an$ecovillage$or$inten(onal$
community$project.$Its$included$
here$as$most$of$it$can$be$applied$
to$building$collabora(ve$social$
change$groups.$Again,$expressing$
similar$values$to$the$
Empowerment$Manual.$Its$drawn$
from$the$experience$of$the$10%$of$
ecovillage/community$projects$
which$have$been$successful$in$
seQng$up,$in$contrast$to$the$90%$
who$didn't$make$it.$

The$deni(ve$text$on$Sociocracy.$
This$is$a$new$system$for$organising$
ourselves$in$groups,$communi(es$
or$organisa(ons$around$the$people$
and$our$needs/wants/preferences.$
It$provides$a$complete$and$
integrated$system,$as$opposed$to$$
the$above$two$books$which$are$
more$of$a$collec(on$of$tools.$Its$
based$on$people$working$together$
with$the$principle$of$'consent'.$
Created$by$an$engineer$and$some$
people$nd$the$system$a$bit$
technical$and$$dicult$to$
understand.$$

The$rst$text$devoted$completely$
to$the$applica(on$of$
permaculture$principles$to$how$
we$live/work/coexist$together.$
Founded$on$the$collabora(ve$
principles$and$values$similar$to$
the$other$books,$but$baked$into$
a$systems$approach.$This$
approach$is$less$engineering$and$
more$models$how$natural$
systems$work.$Quite$deep$and$
far$ranging,$with$lots$of$ac(vi(es$
to$deepen$a$group$and$make$it$
more$eec(ve.$

Collabora(ve$&$Par(cipatory$Facilita(on$
A$large$collec(on$of$
ar(cles$about$all$aspects$
of$facilita(on$from$the$
Interna(onal$Associa(on$
of$Facilitators.$Its$a$big$
book,$quite$theore(cal,$
heavy$and$expensive.$
Only$to$go$near$if$you$are$
deadly$serious$about$
learning$facilita(on$skills

A$fun$collec(on$of$
par(cipatory$tools.$Lots$
prac(cal$of$(ps,$
pictures,$ac(vi(es$for$
groups$which$are$easy$
to$pick$up$and$try.

All$of$these$books$are$about$the$skills$of$facilita(ng$$$$page$5
collabora(ve$and$par(cipatory$processes$with$people$

A$collec(on$of$lots$of$
icebreakers$and$
warmups$to$make$
mee(ngs$more$fun.$Its$
not$great,$but$an$
example$that$there$are$
lots$of$them$out$there!
Rather$theore(cal,$this$
dives$into$what$needs$
to$happen$inside$me,$
and$what$I$need$to$be$
aware$of$if$I$am$to$
become$'complete'$as$a$
facilitator.$An$
interes(ng$framework,$
some$nd$hard$to$
digest.$
A$handbook$for$a$
course$which$is$about$
crea(ng$conict$
resolu(on$with$young$
people.$Lots$of$good$
ice$breakers,$games,$
packed$with$ac(vi(es$
to$deal$with$conict$in$
crea(ve$ways.$

The$book$from$which$the$'Controlling'$&$'Collabora(ve'$Communica(on$models$used$in$the$Eec(ve$Groups$course$are$drawn.$It$takes$a$systemic$
approach$to$groups$and$teams$and$suggests$ways$of$working$with$them$based$on$this$understanding.$Used$more$in$a$corporate$context,$but$s(ll$
useful$and$applicable$for$groups$working$in$social$enterprise$and$change.$

A$fun$book$if$you$want$to$
develop$your$graphic$
facilita(on$skills.$How$to$
facilitate$mee(ngs$in$a$
visual$way$to$aid$shared$
thinking,$understanding,$
problem$solving$and$
make$the$way$you$meet$
and$work$more$fun$and$
eec(ve

The$workbook$taken$from$
a$course$called$'Think$on$
Your$Feet'.$Its$a$way$of$
communica(ng$in$ways$
that$people$can$
understand$easily.$By$
breaking$things$down$
into$chunks$of$mostly$3,$
arranging$them$in$familiar$
paJerns$and$then$
presen(ng$them$in$ways$
that$will$be$easy$for$
people$to$understand$and$
remember.$Handy$if$you$
do$presenta(ons$or$
public$speaking.$

Communica(on$&$Facilita(on$Tools

page$6

This$is$more$specically$about$
developing$the$skill$to$break$
complex$problems$into$
manageable$chunks$with$
pictures.$The$book$is$basically$a$
4Lday$handsLon$course$in$
developing$the$skills$to$do$this.$If$
you$do$this$course$and$use$the$
skills$from$it,$it$will$easily$save$
much$more$than$4$days$of$your$
life$in$painful$mee(ngs!

A$beau(ful$collec(on$of$lots$
of$ways$to$design$group$
processes$as$games$which$
follow$a$basic$paJern$of$
opening$with$divergent$
thinking,$exploring$with$
emergent$thinking$and$
closing$with$convergent$
thinking.$Its$quite$a$small$
book,$funky$and$very$
powerful!

Collec(ons$of$Tools$&$Methods
A$standard,$solid$textbook$on$
group$theory$and$group$skills.$
Leaning$towards$
collabora(ve$and$
par(cipatory$groups,$it$
provides$theory$and$$
ac(vi(es$to$do$with$groups.$
Designed$for$people$on$a$
course$to$learn$about$group$
skills$with$proper$learning$
objec(ves!$If$you$are$new$to$
this$territory$and$want$a$
good$introduc(on$and$are$
prepared$to$read$a$textbook,$
this$is$a$good$rst$step,$which$
will$then$probably$help$you$
nd$out$where$you$want$to$
go$next.$.$
A$dive$into$the$theory$and$
prac(ce$of$'Dialogue'.$An$
approach$to$communica(on$
which$develops$skills$for$
people$to$be$more$conscious$
and$construc(ve.$For$example:$
helping$us$iden(fy$
assump(ons$that$we$and$other$
people$are$making:$suspending$
our$judgements$so$we$can$fully$
understand$what$someone$
else$is$saying$before$
responding.$$

The$source$text$for$
the$Open$Space$
method$of$facilita(on$
which$has$been$
picked$up$by$so$many$
people$and$not$used$
that$well,$in$my$
opinion,$thus$dilu(ng$
the$poten(al$power$
of$this$method.$

page$7
A$mindLboggling$
collec(on$of$over$60$
tools,$methods,$
processes,$ac(vi(es$to$
do$with$groups$to$
facilitate$collec(ve$
change.$Methods$
grouped$into$
categories:$Adaptable$
Methods,$Planning$
Methods,$Structuring$
Methods,$
Improving$Methods
Suppor(ve$Methods.$
Includes$World$Cafe,$
Open$Space,$Consensus$
and$many$more.$The$
challenge$of$this$book$is$
knowing$which$tool$to$
use$when,$and$it$does$
give$some$guidance$
about$that.
A$short$book$giving$an$
introduc(on$to$Apprecia(ve$
Inquiry.$This$is$a$method$which$
helps$people$iden(fy$what$is$
already$working,$and$then$build$
on$that$to$develop$and$nd$
solu(ons.$Its$a$very$posi(ve$
approach!$Not$enough$on$its$
own,$but$can$be$useful$in$the$
right$place$at$the$right$(me.$

Working$with$Dierences

page$8

When$we$think$of$dierences,$we$o;en$think$of$cultural$diversity.$This$sec(on$doesn't$address$cultural$diversity$specically,$but$the$books$in$both$this$
sec(on$and$the$bigger$picture$will$help$deal$with$the$dierences$generally.$$This$includes$the$dierences$between$cultures$as$well$as$the$dierences$
between$individuals$in$the$same$culture,$as$well$as$tensions$we$experience$inside$ourselves$as$individuals.$
Astonishingly$simple,$and$just$as$
powerful,$this$book$explains$how$a$lot$of$
tensions$and$conicts$in$groups$are$
because$of$dierences$in$values.$Rather$
than$being$an$unsolvable$problems,$
these$dierences$are$polari(es$which$
can$be$managed.$And$that$many$of$these$
polari(es$result$from$personal$
preferences,$which$once$named$can$be$
talked$about.
For$example,$some$people$want$to$just$
get$on$with$it$and$take$ac(on,$while$
others$want$to$plan$things$well$in$
advance$before$jumping$in.$Naming$this$
tension$as$this$polarity$makes$it$much$
easier$to$work$with$than$arguing$about$
whether$to$have$a$planning$mee(ng$or$
not!
This$book$builds$on$the$Compe(ng$Values$
Framework$presented$in$the$book$next$to$
it,$to$iden(fy$the$leadership$behaviours$
which$t$best$in$the$four$dierent$types$
of$organisa(onal$culture$of$this$
framework.
Its$prac(cal,$simple,$clear$and$very$
powerful!

Its$not$very$popular$or$even$'poli(cally$
correct'$with$many$people$to$use$
typologies$or$psychometrics$such$as$the$
Myers$Briggs$Type$Indicator.$'We$can't$put$
all$people$in$boxes'$is$a$simple$complaint$
about$this$approach.
However,$an$understanding$of$how$
dierences$between$people$in$groups$is$
due$to$their$personal$preferences,$and$that$
there$are$paJerns$in$these$which$can$be$
easier$to$talk$about$and$work$with,$if$they$
are$named$and$understood$as$such.$This$
(es$in$with$the$other$3$books$on$this$page.$
There$are$many$of$these$typologies;$the$
Enneagram$is$one$such$typology,$popular$in$
the$integral$community.$I$like$it$because$it$
has$a$growth$dimension$included,$and$this$
book$is$a$good$introduc(on$to$it.$
This$book$introduces$the$Compe(ng$Values$
Framework,$based$on$decades$of$research$
about$what$actually$happens$in$organisa(ons.$
Four$basic$paJerns$of$values$have$been$
iden(ed:$controlling,$compe(ng,$
collabora(ng$and$crea(ng.$The$framework$is$
about$how$to$work$with$the$tensions$created$
by$the$dierences$in$these$valueLsystems.$

Leadership

O;en$a$controversial$topic$in$groups$or$organisa(ons$which$don't$want$to$work$in$a$hierarchy,$whether$we$like$it$or$not$leadership$exists$in$any$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
page$9
collec(on$of$human$beings.$The$Eec(ve$Groups$course$suggests$that$its$beJer$to$face$this$reality$and$be$explicit$about$leadership$issues$rather$than$denying$
them.$These$books$help$give$a$grounding$and$ways$to$speak$about$power$and$leadership$issues$when$they$surface$as,$they$surely$will!

A$fairly$standard,$
conven(onal$textbook$on$
various$leadership$theories.$
Its$kind$of$useful$and$
interes(ng$if$you$want$a$
solid$founda(on$in$thinking$
about$dierent$types$of$
leadership.$
Based$on$years$of$
empirical$research,$this$
book$iden(es$5$
paJerns$in$organisa(ons$
which$it$called$Tribes,$
and$suggests$that$
dierent$styles$and$
approaches$to$
leadership$work$with$the$
dierent$tribes.$Includes$
PreLConven(onal,$
Conven(onal$and$PostL
Conven(onal$
approaches.$In$my$view,$
the$most$powerful$book$
on$this$page.$
A$useful$collec(on$of$
tools$and$prac(ces$for$
leadership$development,$
albeit$from$a$
conven(onal$paradigm.$

This$book$aJempts$to$answer$'how$
can$leaders$move$ahead$in$the$face$
of$adversity'.$They$have$developed$
a$Leader$Resilience$Prole$which$
measures$a$leader's$resilience$in$12$
categories.$Like$the$Harvard$
Business$Review$book,$its$founded$
on$a$fairly$conven(onal$view$of$
leadership

A$book$about$
leading$in$(mes$of$
change$and$how$to$
develop$leadership$
capaci(es$through$
prac(ce.$

A$personal$story$about$
the$internal$shi;s$that$
happened$on$his$journey$
to$become$a$postL
conven(onal$leader.$
WriJen$in$1996.

Agile$Organisa(ons
Holacracy$calls$itself$a$new$opera(ng$system$
for$organisa(ons.$There$isn't$a$book$about$it$
yet,$this$is$the$folder$from$the$Cer(ca(on$
Training$that$I$went$on$for$it.
Holacracy$integrates$learning$from$many$
other$methodologies$to$create$a$way$of$
organising$which$enables$an$organisa(onal$
purpose$to$be$achieved$eec(vely$in$a$
changing,$complex$and$unpredictable$
environment.$Where$there$is$clarity$about$
where$authority$lies$for$which$decisions,$so$
that$decisions$can$be$made$quickly,$while$s(ll$
integra(ng$perspec(ves$where$necessary,$so$
maintaining$many$of$the$benets$of$the$more$
collabora(ve,$more$processLbased$groups.$
This$book$uses$the$dierences$between$a$
starsh$and$a$spider$as$a$metaphor$to$talk$
about$'leaderless$organisa(ons'.
When$a$spider's$head$gets$cut$o,$it$dies.$When$
any$part$of$a$starsh$gets$cut$o,$it$can$get$
regenerated$and$grow$back.$
Hierarchical$organisa(ons$and$groups$are$
dependent$on$their$leaders$in$the$same$way$
that$a$spider$is$dependent$on$its$head.$While$
organisa(ons$which$can$selfLorganise,$are$not$
reliant$on$a$leader$are$beJer$able$to$adapt$to$a$
changing$environment$are$more$likely$to$be$
eec(ve$in$the$fastLchanging,$unpredictable$
21st$century.$

page$10

This$book$is$about$the$Viable$
Systems$Model$created$by$
Staord$Beer.$It$iden(es$the$
essen(al$func(ons$which$
need$to$happen$at$each$level$
of$an$organisa(on$as:$
opera(ons,$coordina(on,$
management,$development$
and$strategy.$Then$shows$how$
an$organisa(on$can$be$
structured$so$that$these$are$
replicated$at$every$level,$in$a$
fractal$paJern.$This$means$
that$the$organisa(on,$more$
like$a$starsh,$can$selfL
organise$and$replicate,$adapt$
to$change.$Some$people$nd$
this$system$quite$technical$
and$hard$to$understand$and$
communicate.$
'Lean'$is$a$methodology$for$running$
organisa(ons$pioneered$by$Toyota,$in$
which$unnecessary$bits$are$sought$out,$
leaving$the$minimum$structure$to$allow$
maximum$exibility,$adaptability$and$
agility.$This$book$applies$these$principles$
to$startLup$enterprises.$

A$Conven(onal$Approach

page$11

This$is$a$system$that$can$be$used$with$small$social$enterprise$and$third$sector$organisa(ons$to$help$ensure$that$key$areas$are$dealt$with$and$are$all$
working$to$high$standards.$There$are$ques(ons$with$indicators$of$what$counts$as$three$diering$levels$of$quality.$Its$in$depth$and$(meLconsuming,$but$
will$make$anyone$who$uses$it$more$eec(ve$and$create$work$of$higher$quality.$$Here's$the$contents$page$to$show$the$dierent$areas$that$are$covered$$

page$12

Applying$insights$from$the$complexity$sciences$to$groups$and$organisa(ons
This$series$of$books$is$academic,$complex,$theore(cal,$heavy$
going$and$really$not$for$the$faintLhearted.$If$you$aren't$
interested$in$things$like$this,$then$skip$this$page...
The$premise$of$the$series$is$that$there$are$many$'pop'$books$
wriJen$by$people$like$Peter$Senge$(The$Fi;h$Discipline),$
Fritjo$Capra$(The$Web$of$Life)$and$Margaret$Wheatley$
('Leadership$and$the$New$Science'$,$'A$Simpler$Way')$who$
make$obvious$and$supercial$comparisons$between$the$
elegance$of$how$natural$systems$work,$and$apply$those$as$
insights$of$systems$thinking$to$how$people$work$in$groups$and$
organisa(ons.$These$books$say$this$is$a$mistake.$
Instead$they$delve$deep$into$the$complexity$sciences,$and$
consider$how$the$models,$insights$and$learnings$from$this$
domain$need$to$be$mediated$through$a$lens$of$psychological$
and$social$understanding$before$applying$them$to$people,$
groups$and$organisa(ons,$which,$they$argue,$those$other$
books$do$not$adequately$do.$
Using$insights$from$the$complexity$sciences$in$this$way,$they$
suggest$that$what$happens$in$the$invisible$spaces$between$
people$in$groups$and$organisa(ons$are$'complex$responsive$
processes',$where$my$behaviour$will$invite$a$certain$type$of$
response$from$you,$so$although$you$have$choice$in$how$you$
respond$to$me,$its$a$choice$shaped$by$what$I$have$invited$you$
to$do$in$the$rst$place.$Understanding$what$happens$in$terms$
of$these$webs$of$complex$responsive$processes,$provides$a$
way$of$being$in$organisa(ons$which$allows$us$to$be$eec(ve$
par(cipants$in$a$ow$of$selfLorganising$processes.$It$feels$like$
an$academic,$intellectual$way$of$libera(ng$us$from$the$illusion$
that$its$worth$trying$to$control$what$happens.$

Resilience,$complexity$and$sustainability

page$13

The$connec(on$between$this$set$of$books$and$Eec(ve$Groups$is$less$obvious.$It$requires$a$crea(ve$leap$to$apply$insights$from$Systems$Thinking,$
Complexity$Sciences$and$work$on$resilience$in$natural$systems,$to$what$happens$between$people$and$in$groups$and$that$may$be$something$you$aren't$
interested$in$doing?$If$you$are,$this$collec(on$of$books$gives$it$a$go,$but$you$will$also$have$to$do$some$of$it$yourself.$

This$book$is$more$about$how$resilience$can$be$
achieved$in$natural$systems,$and$occasionally$
points$to$how$to$apply$this$to$social$systems.$
It$leaves$a$lot$of$it$up$to$you$to$work$out$how$to$
apply$principles$like$modularity,$(ght$feedback$
loops,$crossing$thresholds,$panarchy,$complex$
adap(ve$cycles...$

This$book$takes$one$aspect$of$systems$
thinking$L$causal$loop$diagrams$and$
applying$it$to$groups,$organisa(ons$and$
human$systems.$Its$complex,$and$
probably$be$useful$in$helping$you$deal$
with$complex$system$dynamics$if$you$
take$the$(me$to$delve$into$it.

A$collec(on$of$ar(cles$from$the$Harvard$
Business$Review.$Mostly$wriJen,$in$contrast$
to$the$other$books$on$this$page,$from$quite$
a$conven(onal$viewpoint.$

This$applies$the$thinking$of$complexity$
sciences$specically$to$$sustainability.$Its$
very$academic$and$theore(cal,$with$lots$
of$mathema(cal$formulae$and$
references.$$

Expanding$the$Context:$Enterprises,$CoLops$&$Economic$Ecosystems
About$how$to$create$an$entrepreneurial$
ecosystem$which$supports$the$development$
of$new$businesses$in$a$locality.$
How$local$entrepreneurs$can$work$together$
with$service$providers,$universi(es,$
government$and$other$stakeholders$to$
create$a$sense$of$community$which$values$
and$encourages$the$startLup$of$new$
businesses$in$a$local$area.$
Based$from$experience$in$Boulder$and$
compares$with$Silicon$Valley$and$other$hiL
tech$startLup$communi(es$in$US$ci(es,$this$
needs$some$transla(on$for$UK$nonLtech$
loca(ons,$but$s(ll$useful.$

An$issue$of$the$New$Interna(onalist$
magazine$dedicated$to$CoLopera(ves,$how$
they$work$and$their$role$in$the$economy.$
With$their$characteris(c$global$social$jus(ce$
perspec(ve,$interes(ng$facts$and$gures$
about$the$impacts$and$role$of$coLops.

page$14

If$you$want$to$make$protLmaking$
companies$more$resilient$in$(mes$of$
change$and$uncertainty,$you$might$nd$
this$book$interes(ng.$
Coming$from$a$fairly$conven(onal$
perspec(ve$its$a$lot$about$dealing$with$
and$mi(ga(ng$risks,$seeing$
vulnerability$as$something$that$needs$
to$be$'overcome'.$Lots$of$examples$of$
how$its$happened$in$global/US$
corpora(ons.

About$how$to$prevent,$avoid$and$
recover$from$disasters$and$disrup(ons,$
this$book$comes$from$a$kind$of$'risk$
management'$mindset.$
It$starts$from$the$founda(on$of$
resilience$as$the$ability$to$bounce$back$
to$normal$a;er$a$disrup(on,$and$is$a$
systems$approach$to$doing$this.$Again,$
from$the$US.$

The$Bigger$Picture
For$the$rst$(me$in$history,$humans$have$
a$perspec(ve$which$sees$(nearly?)$all$
other$models$of$reality$conceived$of$by$
humans,$as$well$as$our$own.$
Ken$Wilber$used$this$perspec(ve$to$
create$a$'metaLmodel':of$all$the$dierent$
models$of$understanding$reality,$our$
world,$how$we$func(on.$It$aJempts$to$
integrate$them$all$together,$and$is,$
therefore,$called$the$Integral$Model.$It$
includes$a$dizzying$collec(on$of$tools,$
categorised$into$ve$sec(ons.$$
This$model$puts$everything$into$the$
biggest$picture$possible:$the$evolu(on$of$
the$cosmos$and$our$place$within$it.$A$
global$community$of$interest$and$
prac(ce$has$developed$around$this$
model.$
Both$of$these$books$are$introduc(ons$to$
the$Integral$Model.$The$Integral$Vision$is$
a$short$book$with$lots$of$pictures$and$is$
a$bit$more$'pop'$and$the$more$accessible$
of$the$two.$The$Theory$of$Everything$$is$
a$general$introduc(on$and$more$wordy.$
For$me,$trying$to$make$groups$more$
eec(ve$without$the$richness$provided$
by$this$perspec(ve$would$be$a$bit$like$
tying$my$shoelaces$$together.$

page$15
A$key$part$of$this$bigger$picture$
perspec(ve,$is$an$understanding$of$
how$to$create$eec(ve$groups,$by$
understanding$the$tensions$created$
about$dierences$in$values.$It$is$
rooted$in$an$understanding$of$
human$psychological$and$cultural$
development.
It$explains$the$three$paJerns$of$
group$forma(on$on$which$the$
Eec(ve$Groups$course$is$founded$
on:$Hierarchical$Structures,$
Collabora(ve$Groups$and$Agile$
Organisa(ons.$
This$book$is$known$for$being$dense$
and$a$dicult$read.$Its$worth$rst$
checking$out$webLresources$before$
aJemp(ng$to$read$it,$since$in$my$
view$this$book$is$more$for$people$
who$are$seriously$interested$in$this$
perspec(ve
This$book$is$an$explora(on$of$what$
our$world$looks$like$when$
experienced$through$the$lens$of$the$
integral$worldview$and$its$role$in$
transforma(ons$we$are$experiencing$
in$our$world.$Needs$eort$to$apply$it$
to$making$groups$more$eec(ve,$
but$worth$it!

My$Top$10$from$this$list

coming soon...

page$16