Communities as Fractals???

What the Heck is a Fractal?

Years ago, I was hired to deliver training at a community leadership summit in Las Vegas. Somewhat to my surprise, that was where I also first met the actor, Maxwell Gail Jr . While I remembered how hilarious he was in the Barney Miller sitcom, I soon learned he was also intellectually gifted. Turns out, Max was there with another brilliant guy, his friend Casey. ?

Together they introduced me to the concept of fractals. Trying hard to harness my overloaded, distracted brain, I did learn that a fractal is a never-ending, infinitely complex pattern that looks similar at every scale. In other words, each part looks like a miniature version of the whole.

Still, I struggled to understand how fractals related to community building and how they could contribute to the balance that would advance social, environmental, and economic well-being.

So, What Do Fractals Have To Do With Communities?

As my career progressed over the years, the values of fractals became clearer, thanks also in part to ?Edmonton’s First Poet Laureate Alice Major .

Living in Edmonton at the time, I was listening to Major speak at a Creative Communities conference. My ears perked up when she mentioned that communities are like fractals.

I listened as she went on to explain that communities are like fractals because they are irregular, complex structures that may look the same but are, in fact, quite different and should be treated that way.

Clouds, snowflakes, lightning bolts, and even broccoli are examples of fractals. It became clearer that a fractal is a pattern that repeats itself at different scales, thereby creating complex and intricate structures.

Major suggested a community can be understood as a fractal structure. Fractal patterns in social structures suggest that similar structures and behaviours are replicated at different scales - ?from individuals to small groups to larger communities and beyond.

That means if you look at communities (or clouds, snowflakes, or even broccoli), they might look the same, but if you zoom in on part of their pattern, you will find a smaller version of the whole shape. If you zoom in again, you will find even smaller copies.

Why Is It Important To See Communities As Fractals?

Inherent within Major’s musings was the idea that communities must find and magnify their distinctiveness. They need to say something, say it simply, and repeat it over and over again. Knowing, really knowing, what makes one's community special, leads to the sophistication, innovation, and ultimate distinctiveness that makes a community a place where people choose to live.

How Do Fractals Relate to Transformative Change?

Understanding communities as fractals also has important implications for the transformative change and innovation that is essential for addressing today’s complex challenges. It suggests that small-scale actions and shifts in individual behaviour can potentially lead to larger systemic changes. Why? Because change begins at the smallest level.

So, How Can Fractals Help Us Determine Where to Focus Our Energy and Priorities?

This fractal nature of communities also emphasizes the importance of focusing on relationships and small-group dynamics as a means of influencing broader social structures. Not likely a surprise to those working at the grassroots level.

Today as we face complex challenges, such as global warming, poverty, affordable housing, good health, quality education and more, it is encouraging and less intimidating to know that change often begins at the smallest level – meaning with individuals and organizations. It also contributes to an awareness that:

·??fractals produced by individuals perpetuate systems that are no longer working;

·??the work of individuals shapes and influences complex change;

·??patterns and building blocks can be applied to broader systems levels to mobilize and amplify transformative change and innovation.

Embracing The Idea that Bigger is Not Always Better

Perhaps of greatest importance is that when we embrace thinking of communities as fractals, we are also embracing the idea that bigger is not always going to be better when it comes to improving or replacing systems that are no longer working. As a result, it will be critical to:

·? ensure more grassroots support, policy, and funding to enable more holistic, cross-sectoral collaboration at the community level;

·? support the development of individuals, who may or may not have a formal leadership title, to work collaboratively;

·??invest in small businesses and social purpose organizations to test and scale new strategies;

·??encourage citizens to use the power of their voices to emphasize the importance of systemic change.

What Does That Mean For You?

The fractal principle reveals a powerful truth: individuals are the building blocks of our society. Like fractals in nature, the values, ethics, and actions of a single person ripple outward, shaping families, organizations, communities, regions, and even entire nations.

A fractal approach supports the idea that we can contribute to better-informed decision-making, particularly when it involves compromise and creative solutions to problems or new directions. It is also an approach that (1) ensures inclusivity, (2) a sense of ownership, (3) commitment to the decision(s) made and, by integrating diverse perspectives, (4) more innovative, comprehensive, and effective actions and (5) stronger trusted relationships.

Every decision we make, no matter how small, contributes to the larger tapestry of our collective societal culture. This understanding leads us to a crucial realization: each of us has the power to be a catalyst for meaningful change. Your personal values and ethical choices don't just affect your life – they can potentially transform the world around you.

So, ask yourself why not be the positive force our society needs: If not you, then who?

The time for action is now. ?Embrace your role as a catalyst for change, live your values boldly, and watch as your influence creates ripples of positive transformation throughout your community and beyond.