Widening The Circle
I believe widening our circle of stakeholder/community involvement is crucial to informing our most important decisions. We must identify all the participants who need to be a part of our circle for creation. By using a diverse mix of people, we can create a “maximum mix” of ideas.
Diversity of thought yields richer insights and discoveries. Collective insight evolves from:
- Honoring unique contributions.
- Connecting ideas.
- Noticing deeper patterns and questions.
If we widen our circle and invite a diverse group to collaborate, the knowledge and wisdom we need will already be present and accessible. Intelligence emerges as the system connects itself in creative ways. Encourage everyone to share their ideas and perspectives freely, and acknowledge that some people’s special contribution may be their presence as attentive listeners.
Another advantage of widening the circle is the ability to surface differences of opinion and understanding; this is part of their ability to generate new insights. I believe differences can foster either energy and excitement. A critical task of leadership is to protect space for the expression of people’s differences. When differences in opinion are truly valued, they become the object of genuine curiosity.
Is your circle wide enough?
Byron's Babbles 
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