Chapter 3: Decision-making in a (Poly)crisis: The Urgency of Slowing Down
Posted August 1, 2024 - Linh Bui
"Not only are our minds – western minds in particular - poorly wired for ancestral accountability. We also have a cognitive disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to some of the most important trends of our time...Our same bifurcated brains are now tasked with figuring out agreed-upon ethical guardrails to the development of advanced technologies, even as we cannot agree on our own collective goals, or what is true, or what is just, or what set of stories provide the path to redemption...
So, what will be written about the human story by those who will call us their ancestors?" - James Stauch, Environmental Scan 2024: The Great Acceleration
Image: An activity-based session led by Roy Bear Chief in which participants explored connectedness and complexity through Ani-to-pisi
It is widely acknowledged that the human community is in a state of polycrisis and permacrisis, with global challenges, 'wicked problems', and 'mega messes', all related to each other in some way. These challenges come in cascading waves that exacerbate the ability to make sense of, never mind, 'solve' these complex challenges. Moreover, their effects are most acutely felt by young people, women, Indigenous, Black and racialized people, and others who are marginalized because of their socio-economic standing, ability, geography, or other factors where inequity amplifies the impact. But counterintuitively, as an open letter to worldwide civil society organizations by the philosopher, writer, and activist Bayo Akomolafe and theologian Marta Benavides urges… “The time is very urgent – we must slow down." How do we take the time to really understand, dig deep, ask better questions, and assert a systems-led approach to challenges when there is social, political and cultural pressure to 'act fast'?
Panelist(s):
amanuel melles, Network for thwe Advancement of Black Communities (NABC)
Wendy Mendes, United Way of Calgary & Area
Latasha Calf Robe, University of Calgary, One Child Every Child
Louise Adongo, Caprivian Strip Inc
Moderator - Sierra Swallow, Government of Alberta
Image description: At the session 'Decision-making in a (Poly)crisis: The Urgency of Slowing Down', from left to right, the panellists are Sierra Swallow, Louise Adongo, Wendy Mendes, Latasha Calf Robe, and amanuel melles
At first, what does polycrisis mean?
What does that look like when we’re talking about moving away from decisions made in urgency? Polycrisis refers to multiple, simultaneous crises that are interconnected, creating a complex web of challenges that require nuanced responses. Louise highlighted the urgency ingrained in human history, noting, "Things have been urgent for 10,000 years and things have been urgent longer than that." To understand what does slowing down in a polycrisis look like, Louise urged to first question:
- Who gets to slow down?
- Who has the space to consider slowing down?
- Who makes decisions when things are slowed down?
- Who decides what gets slowed down or not?
"Slowing down in the polycrisis means honing our skills at working at the intersections of systems as connectors, convenors, listeners, pattern-detectors, relationship-builders and translators," as Wendy notes. “It means understanding the tools and levers available to us in our various roles and identities so we see where we can act, where we can partner, and where we can learn.”
Reason 2: The importance of Acknowledging Trauma
Louise also pointed out how personal trauma influences decision-making processes. She mentioned, "It's just that we made personal decisions about how to navigate trauma in our lives that distanced us from the realities of our experiences." In other words, our way of coping with trauma created a kind of separation or detachment from what actually happened and how it affected us. By overlooking personal and collective trauma, we risk making decisions that do not fully account for the complexities of human experiences. As Louise explained, “And so the conversation then becomes less needing to be, you know, kind of informing the trauma narratives of others. Then how do we tap into the trauma narratives in our own context and lives? How do dialogue or decision making change when we do that and in the context where we're bringing? How do we pay attention to rupture and repair? How do we handle and navigate the conflict that will happen in those conversations? Because I think that as we're building our muscles of art and joy, we also need to build our muscles of repairing ruptures in relationships because we're not really good at that. How to attend to a room for brokenness”. The conversations should not only aim to respect the narratives of affected communities but also integrate personal trauma experiences into a shared understanding that shapes dialogue and decision-making processes. Through the lens of trauma-informed practices, individuals can cultivate relationships of trust and openness, paving the way for more constructive conversations and conflict resolution.
“Systems are made up of human people with complex emotions, feelings, experiences, and worldviews. We are not expected to know everything about each other, but we can be in conversation and get to know each other in different ways to decide how we want to work together,” Latasha later echoes.
Image Description: Participants of the Summit are educators, students, and professionals from diverse fields and professions
Reason 3: The need for Collective Knowledge and Diverse Perspectivesorate
Wendy expanded on the importance of diverse perspectives and collective approaches achieving systems change, asserting, "I learned from Daniela Papi-Thornton that there are multiple pathways to systems change. This means that we all have the opportunity to act as contributors to reframing problems and shifting systems. We are not expected to singularly solve systems challenges. The simple reason being that there is no single human, no single academic discipline, no single institution, no single community or social movement that can shift systems alone.
The complexities of systems change demand that all contributors—individuals, institutions, and communities—reframe problems collaboratively, as Wendy emphasized. This is especially pertinent in the Western context, which may default to individualistic paradigms in decision-making, overlooking the need for collective wisdom.
How do we engage, prepare, and have uncomfortable dialogues?
So, how do we address the 2 dilemmas mentioned above—the lack of engaging all perspectives with muscles of rupture and repair and the overlooking of our trauma in decision-making—if we’re in systems interacting with complexity?
“When I think about those complex discussions… I think about my grandma” Latasha shared. “I would sit with her and tell her all kinds of things…[she would ask] What are you trying to say? And I would say it again. What are you trying to do? And I would have to say it again. Thinking about those moments where somebody just listen to me and engaged with me and built that relationality and spent that time, you know, listening to all my woes, all my worries, and also the areas where we might be able to make change together. And she would always say, you know, at the end of our conversation…what do you need from me? Such a powerful question!”
From Latasha’s reflections, complex discussions could actually be seen as fundamental human interactions and helping each other, like how her grandma always interacts with and attends to her. Her grandma’s approach to addressing complex discussions is simple yet thoughtful and significant. It shows awareness of our weaknesses and the abilities we lack, and it’s considerate of our limitations in wanting to help and helping others.
How many times have you ever thought, this is not what I need from you. What you think I need is different from what I actually need? And how many times have you ever unconsciously known there are things we know the person we’re talking to can’t help with—issues that are society's problems, where we feel powerless and lack resources and tools. Such big problems can't be solved by one person.
So it's better to ask, “what do you need from me right now, in this moment? And how do we build from there? Because that's all we can do.” That fundamental human connection is lost in this individualistic world. It is something small but so important and integral to steer conversations toward mutual understanding and collaborative efforts while repairing relationships amidst uncertainty and conflict. This adds to Chief Bear Roy’s urgent reminder in the previous chapter of our human connections and supports for each other.
Reason 4: Balancing Urgency with Self-Care
amanuel shared his thoughts on the need to strike a balance, "Part of slowing down is talking about that balance. Knowing our locus of control... But at the same time, you know, we need to pay attention to self-care." He emphasized the importance of preventing burnout while continuing to address pressing issues.
In the face of constant urgency, it is crucial to recognize the limits of what we can control and to take steps to care for our mental and physical health. He stressed that self-care is not just about individual well-being but is essential for sustaining long-term engagement and effectiveness in addressing social issues.
Key Takeaways
1. Slowing Down: In the context of polycrisis, slowing down is crucial for humanizing decision-making. It allows for the inclusion of diverse perspectives, consideration of trauma, and prevention of burnout.2. Authenticity and Emotional Intelligence: Showing up authentically and being emotionally aware are essential for effective dialogue and decision-making.
3. Interdependence: Embracing our interconnectedness, as illustrated by the Ani-to-pisi’s human spiderweb analogy, is vital for understanding and responding to the vibrations within our communities.
4. Listening and Transformation: Active listening and a commitment to personal transformation are foundational for creating systemic change.
During times of repair and discomfort, how do dialogues happen? It's up to us. How we show up is important. We should ground ourselves in our origins and who we are, and believe that we are the “system's wisdom” because of the perspectives we bring. At the same time, we need to be open to the vibrations in our community's “spiderweb,” referring to the analogy of Ani-to-pisi by Chief Roy Elder. We should check in with both ourselves and others to see how everyone is doing during these events.
It sounds like soft skills are important.
When connecting all the dots of these key themes, the majority of these are soft skills: emotional intelligence, humility, and emotional awareness. This is a question raised by an undergraduate student from Mount Royal University to the panel during Q&A. So in what ways do the panelists share applying these soft skills in their practices in everyday life and in complex decision-making?
Louise emphasized the importance of aligning actions with values and addressing misalignments openly. She shared an example of how she consciously expresses when she is not being true to her words, apologizing and realigning her actions to maintain the overall energy and dynamic within her team.
Wendy described an exercise in a food system class that she teaches, where students participate in a “human capacity audit” to identify and leverage their diverse skills, knowledge, and experiences. This exercise helps students see the range of possibilities and pathways to action within a relatively small group of their peers. She highlighted the importance of recognizing intangible soft skills like relationship-building and translating this into tangible actions. “Through this exercise, we don't end up fixing the food system, but what we do is surface the range of abilities in the classroom: Who are the connectors, who are the translators, who are the relationship-builders? What is revealed is an incredible range of knowledge and experience that shows that there are multiple intersecting pathways to change and many ways to contribute.”
Image description: A moment in the activity-based session in which partitipants enacted the Ani-to-pisi
What is the nuance between slowing down for good and slowing down as another tactic to delay in the wrong hands?
A participant pointed out that slowing down can be used as another tactic to delay in the wrong hands. So, what is the nuance here?
amanuel shared his experience as a leader who needed to make a major decision at the time and delayed his decision. He shared a moment of a project he had where he had to delay: " When we launched a strategy focused on 13 priority areas that included tackling poverty and other urban issues, I was in a position where I needed to balance my authority with making informed decisions. I didn't want to send my team into new networks without fully understanding those networks first.” This shows the importance of understanding the context and balancing control and decision-making with a deep understanding of the context to avoid premature or uninformed actions.
amanuel also shared further iniatives; he recounted seeking the internal diversity grant program, which, once approved, triggered a broader organizational initiative on inclusion and equity. This demonstrates his strategic use of internal mechanisms to effect change. When facing obstacles, we should seek alternative methods within our control to advance our goals to build the foundation of structural resistance and humility.
amanuel also emphasized choosing positivity over deficits keeps the team going even in depressing times. “It's also essential to show up and have difficult conversations. As leaders, we must be accountable and ready to be scrutinized for our work. I believe it's not just about us but about the change we are striving to create.” He concluded by emphasizing the need to maintain integrity and focus on the larger goal of effecting change, even in the face of complexity and potential delays. He advocates for persistence and adaptability in leadership to navigate and address these challenges.
Image Description: Latasha Calf Robe (on the left) and amanuel melles (on the right)
What role systems that are ready to respond to play in some of these instances of people using the delay tactic?
Louise shared a real story from her work that underscores the importance of systems ready to respond to crises and inequities.
During the pandemic, it became evident that decisions made without understanding the specific needs of different communities led to broader problems. Louise emphasized that systems must slow down to understand these unique needs, ensuring that decisions are inclusive and effective. When initial plans fall short, these systems should adapt by incorporating long-requested services, such as cultural health interpreters and local health centers.
As Louise recounted, “however, the pandemic created an opportunity. Suddenly, cultural health practices were funded so they could communicate about vaccines and masking in various languages. Previously, there was resistance to recognizing the many languages spoken, but now 15 to 20 different languages were being used to reach people….We're hopeful that these changes will be maintained and sustained, even though systems often revert back to old ways.”
Crises like the pandemic create opportunities for meaningful change. Systems should seize these moments to implement essential services, such as cultural health practices. Allocating funds for specific needs, like health interpreters, ensures all communities receive necessary information and services, bridging gaps that delay tactics might otherwise widen. It's crucial to sustain changes made during crises, ensuring that adaptations are not just temporary fixes but long-term solutions. Louise’ example shows how the speed of want, need, light, and sound all played a role in how we responded. It's a tangible example of how slowing down and understanding specific needs can lead to better outcomes.
Image Description: Louise Adongo at the session
Systems thinking makes grand claims to help us build a more resilient, more equitable society - but what might be the gaps in existing approaches to systems thinking?
Previous Chapter 2: The Fabric of Reality: A Systems Way of Seeing the World
What can we learn from Blackfoot cosmology, non-Western, and Western science-based insights into ways of understanding systems that help us better address the problems of our time? How can innovation - including technological innovation, policy innovation, and social innovation - benefit from systems thinking?