BB GROUP EXPERIMENT: Thinking, learning and experimenting together for new realities

How can we do and be better as a community, individuals and organizations? What are the values, strengths and potentials we can or even should bet on for a better future?

At BB group experiment which took place in ?marjeta, Slovenia, in mid-October as part of the BB School For New Global Realities, we opened up space to think deeply together about possible answers to the challenges of the future. It resulted in two days of sparkling exchanges between the 16 participants and all members of the BB Consulting’s team, as well as concrete work on individual projects, each of which contributes to the common good in its own way.

We set on a path of raising awareness about new measurements of value, not just financial ones, building relationship & flexibility skills, for a culture of learning, dialogue and symbiosis.

We also firmly believe in sharing knowledge and experiences. Below are the teachings the group co-created and we share them with the intention to contribute our little piece to a positive vision of tomorrow and invite you to join us.

Interdependence & Cooperation

The first lesson we acknowledged is that nothing is purely personal, as everything has a social, political, environmental or other impact. Recognizing we all are connected, each forming a necessary piece of a functioning organism, contributing its part, also means knowing working together is the only way for the organism to survive and thrive. That is true within teams, between teams, inside an organization and outside of it, as well as in a larger community. It is essential then to include everyone (and everything) involved, all stakeholders, impacted by our business or project.

Nothing is purely personal, as everything has a social, political, environmental or other impact.

It means being aware of our interdependence and adopt a broader sense of collaboration. Feeling was evoked as a connecting skill that might help us. On a more direct level, we noted it is worth thinking about ways to create a safe space where trust can grow and communication flow.

Big questions

How can we cohabit and reach out to people with different views, experiences, skills, values? Or simply, how can we share and learn across different generations?

And very importantly today, how could we include nature, for example, as a stakeholder?

Fluidity & Constant Questioning, Re-framing, Making Sense

We deal with fluidity everywhere (global environment, global and local trends, culture, ...), so our approach needs to incorporate that as well as the complexity of the world, society and organizations. Being ready to question and re-frame our processes and systems, making new sense of them, could make them stronger, more quickly adaptable and even efficient. ?

We observed that traditional hierarchies don’t work well anymore. Concepts of safety and flexibility / stability are also undergoing changes; and youth’s values, motivations (e.g., work-life balance) are not the same today as they were decades ago.

Nevertheless, organizational culture is an active measure of our priorities, of what we are really (not) doing and why.

Big questions

What consequences does it have for everyone involved if the organization’s anchor is in care and purpose?

How, then, do we understand organizational culture, but also sustainability, hierarchies, knowledge transfer...?

How can scenario planning help us with this?

Loosening of Beliefs & Deeper Understanding, (System) Thinking

If we want to even start thinking about change in our systems, structures, patterns, some opening up and loosening of beliefs is probably waiting for us. We must try to understand and mostly deepen our understanding, explore, really think. For us, the image of an iceberg was very useful in visualizing this. We can stay on the surface, only get quick answers and fixes to our problem (and very likely end up in a vicious cycle), or we can dive below it and try to grab it where we can act from the underlying mental models that define us today to make a real change tomorrow. With this in mind, we explored the skill of system thinking which can help us in going to the root of our challenges as well as in understanding their role on a wider scale.

We can stay on the surface, only get quick answers and fixes to our problem, or we can dive below it and try to grab it where we can act from the underlying mental models that define us today to make a real change tomorrow.

Big questions

So, how to get below the surface of patterns, structures, changes and challenges? What tools do we need? Who needs to be involved?

What mental models influence us?

Imagination For New Value Indicators & A Different Interpretation of Existing Ones

Where our attention goes matters.

We monitor and evaluate things that are important to us when that changes, our value indicators should reflect it. Because, as we agreed, where our attention goes matters. Creating new value indicators includes building on things that already work – balancing the old and the new and giving it a new purpose.

We need questioning which values we are putting in our systems and structures, as well as how and where, and especially, with what purpose. We reminded ourselves that if the indicators are to build trust, they should be clear and visible.

Big questions

How can value indicators become a positive motivation?

So, how do we want to be evaluated? How to include personal responsibility, for example, in an indicator that would positively motivate?

How to connect the financial and business indicators with indicators of organizational culture & social and environmental impact? How to measure culture of care?

And how do we know we are successful in our purpose and actively check on our promise?

Communication That Gives Meaning, Purpose

By asking the above questions seriously, we inevitably hit an unknown, rough terrain which is beyond the pre-established boundaries and might not be real yet. First, we have to nurture the imagination for it, but just as importantly we have to communicate it to everyone involved, partners and the outside world. The usual modes and language might not fit new thoughts. Still, if we want to inspire and invite people in, communicating true meaning, purpose (the why) of our projects is essential. ?

Big questions

How to create a new language to communicate desired changes, other values and new realities?

Proactively Leading the Way

When people come together, they co-create a unique environment for change and support.

When we thought about new approaches and a new type of organization, we realized it is more like a living organism, human body, or maybe even the system of tree roots or the elasticity of collagen. It is based on building on more than just material values, with a responsibility towards the common good, genuine interest and holistic investing in culture of care which also makes room for our vulnerabilities, mistakes and hence growth.

Our goal, then, is not profit, which we can understand more as a consequence, but raising well-being for all. We can start with our one’s own responsibility, each facing that we all have it, and trying to make the space for change ourselves, create the environment by setting an example as leaders and ambassadors. People want to grow, evolve and be part of the success – if we communicate these goals and include them.

Our own BB group experiment for new global realities clearly showed us that when people come together, open to learn and exchange thoughts, experiences, ideas, feedback and new perspectives, they co-create a unique environment for change and support. With each participant’s project, the waves can then expend like concentric circles outside of the experiment, too. Together, we can each push a little the limits of what is possible and build a community for a better future.

* In words of a few of our participants:

Together, we actually create more, for everyone. – Mojca Sergo, Wolf Sistem d.o.o.

Honesty, openness, the power of a group of like-minded people, faith in change and much more. – Marjana Frantar, Vzajemna

The BB experiment is extremely welcome in a time and space where, in a pleasant environment with exceptional individuals, you surrender to new ideas, views on business and the world, and set one concrete goal for change. – Alja Gaj?ek, CEED Slovenia?

w / Ksenija Spiler Bozic , Andrej Bozic , Ursula Butkovic , Anja ?erc

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