Questions on Emergence

Read the questions over a couple of times before noticing which question resonates with you.  Spend time this month on the question, reflecting on a few times.  Emergence can be a difficult concept, so be patient with yourself.

How do you understand the concept of emergence?  What image comes to mind?  Share your definition with the group.

Have you witnessed the emergence of something new in your work or family life?  How was it substantially different than what came before?  Share your story, including the process and how it felt.

The process of emergence is often disruptive, even painful, as the old ways disappear.  How have you responded to the process?  Are you more likely to resist or embrace the disruptions?

Emergence is often described as an intensely creative process, requiring imagination.  Share a time when you were able to re-imagine something – a thing, a situation or a relationship – into something better.  What did participating in emergence feel like? How did others respond?

Have you ever had persuade others to go long with an emerging shift in systems?  How did you handle this?  What role might compassion play in the experience of emergence?