Browse Chapters Close Home Contributors Content Filter Search Results Introduction Section 1: System Chapter 1: We live in systems Chapter 2: The simplicity of complexity Chapter 3: Levels are levers Chapter 4: Autonomy is myth Section 2: Equilibrium Chapter 5: Systems Do Not Die Chapter 6: Relationships Are Power Chapter 7: Solidarity is a verb Chapter 8: Force begets resistance Chapter 9: Loops can be unlocked Section 3: Navigation Chapter 10: Narrative is water Chapter 11: Needs are motives Chapter 12: Communities are currents Chapter 13: The messenger is the message Chapter 14: Values are bedrock Chapter 15: Decisions are learned Chapter 16: Emotion is oxygen Section 4: Storms Chapter 17: Storms are stories Chapter 18: Flexibility is perseverance Chapter 19: Foresight is 20:20 Chapter 20: Wrestling with trolls Chapter 21: Change is constant Section 5: Energy Chapter 22: Reflection is action Chapter 23: Truth is human shaped Chapter 24: Seeds are fruit Chapter 25: Endings are beginnings Conclusion Uncommon Sense A systems-based strategic communications handbook for changing the world. This resource is designed for people working for social, environmental, or economic justice at local, national, or international levels. If you are someone who is seeking fresh insights to understand obstacles to change and find better solutions to accelerate change-making, then you have come to the right place. There’s no one right way to use it. Choose your own path... Read in order Start with the introduction and move chapter by chapter Start Here Browse Sections Dive straight in by exploring the five S.E.N.S.E. sections Explore Sections Explore Themes Filter information by stories, concepts, and practical tools Content Filter Offline Reading Save the whole book as a PDF onto your device Download Explore the five sections of S.E.N.S.E. System Section 1 ◇ Chapter 1 We live in systems ◇ Chapter 2 The simplicity of complexity ◇ Chapter 3 Levels are levers ◇ Chapter 4 Autonomy is a myth Equilibrium Section 2 ◇ Chapter 5 Systems do not die ◇ Chapter 6 Relationships are power ◇ Chapter 7 Solidarity is a verb ◇ Chapter 8 Force begets resistance ◇ Chapter 9 Loops can be unlocked Navigation Section 3 ◇ Chapter 10 Narrative is water ◇ Chapter 11 Needs are motives ◇ Chapter 12 Communities are currents ◇ Chapter 13 The messenger is the message ◇ Chapter 14 Values are bedrock ◇ Chapter 15 Decisions are learned ◇ Chapter 16 Emotion is oxygen Storms Section 4 ◇ Chapter 17 Storms are stories ◇ Chapter 18 Flexibility is perseverance ◇ Chapter 19 Foresight is 20:20 ◇ Chapter 20 Wrestling with trolls ◇ Chapter 21 Change is constant Energy Section 5 ◇ Chapter 22 Reflection is action ◇ Chapter 23 Truth is human-shaped ◇ Chapter 24 Seeds are fruit ◇ Chapter 25 Endings are beginnings About Uncommon Sense The Multicultural Leadership Initiative is a non-profit organisation, dedicated to building a climate-safe future for all by cultivating climate leadership that reflects the diversity of humanity. The Multicultural Leadership Initiative would like to acknowledge and appreciate the over 120 climate communications experts and practitioners, across over 20 countries, who have actively shared their wisdom, experiences, and advice to inform the S.E.N.S.E. methodology in this digital book. This resource, though useful to everyone, has been designed with those already familiar with the basics of Systems Thinking theory and practice in mind. If you are new to Systems Thinking applied to campaigning and advocacy we highly recommend you attend a Campaigner Accelerator training run by our friends at the Mobilisation Lab . The Uncommon Sense project was produced with financial and collaborative support from the Climate and Land Use Alliance, including identifying interviewees, proposing case studies, and developing, synthesizing, and reviewing content. We are grateful to the team at Rathana.org as the genesis partners and to the following writers, contributors and reviewers who lent their time and expertise to shaping this handbook: Hugh Mouser, Matt Daggett, Rathana Chea, Dr. Amiera Sawas, Bec Sanderson, David Roth, Diya Deb, Enggar Paramita, Jude Lee, Dr. Lori Regattieri, Dr. Merlyna Lim, Nana Darkoah Sekyiamah, Natalia Vidalon, Dr Nicolas Llano Linares, Renata Senlle, Rika Novayanti, Dr. Thelma Raman, Von Hernandez, Yemi Agbeniyi - click here for their bios . Like all things Systems Thinking related, Uncommon Sense will be an on-going, evolving and iterative initiative. More tools and downloadable resources will continually be added. We are here to support you in building your strategic communications skills for a climate safe future. Yours in uncommon sense, View full contributor list Don’t miss new tools, updates and resources Get occasional updates from Uncommon Sense. Sign Up Acknowledgement We acknowledge all the First Nations and First Nations Peoples. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We look forward to the day where we, once more, can live in harmony with our planet as your custodianship has taught us for many thousands of years.

Section 4 Storms Chapter 20 Wrestling with trolls Opponents will always push back — through discrediting, delaying, dividing, or even attempting to destroy. Anticipating their tactics lets you stay ahead. By reframing debates, sidestepping traps, or adapting your Near Star, you can turn their strength against them and protect your campaign’s momentum. Use an opponent’s strength against them to minimize harm. When opponents attack or push back, this can feel like the most dangerous challenge of all. Every action has a counteraction. Anticipate your opponent’s moves to stay ahead. Understanding your opponent’s perspective and likely strategies helps you plan better and avoid surprises, making your campaign more effective. We have adapted approaches from the Commons Library for this chapter. Prepare for disinformation and misinformation Disinformation (deliberate sharing of lies) and misinformation (the sharing of rumors) tend to be types of developmental storm, but can turn into situational and existential threats. The best ways to prepare for this are: Risk management Build resilience in advance. Use the other tools in this Section to predict and rehearse what you would do Assess the risks for severity and impact of any possible disinformation and misinformation campaign Prepare approaches and messages to “prebunk” and mitigate disinformation and test them out using the Red Team tool in this Section Monitoring and Reporting Monitor social media daily e.g. by gathering links to ads being run by certain types of accounts Flag content on social media channels as disinformation Responding Seed alternative narratives (see Chapter 10): Use this as an opportunity to frame the (counter) narrative you want to take hold Frame your facts well (see Section 3: Navigation). Facts alone will not stop the storm Act swiftly and carefully. A hasty reaction could make the situation worse Act efficiently. One briefing that shows how and why the disinformation or misinformation is being spread can be referred back to. Respond directly and calmly to the source (unless you suspect this to be a fake social media account) to clarify Use multiple channels where the disinformation originated and which your audiences frequent. Troubleshooting Consider audience needs (see Chapter 11) and values (Chapter 14). Facts are not always enough. Many internet users are unwilling to engage with fact checkers Reach out via trusted messengers (see Chapter 13) and communities (Chapter 12). Personal preferences and social media algorithms that serve up content to reinforce certain views can prevent your message reaching an audience Show compassion: False and misleading information causes stress and pain for people, particularly at times of crisis. Showing intersectional compassion through your work and communications is a universal way to sidestep divisive rhetoric, show genuine support for people, and build trust. “The weakness of the enemy makes our strength” Cherokee proverb Charge through developmental storms In a developmental storm, an opponent might plant the seeds of a counter narrative to yours and: Discredit: Undermine your credibility through the media or public hearings, painting your group as unreasonable or radical Discount: Minimize the problem's importance or question your legitimacy. For example, they might call your group extremist or downplay the issue's severity Deflect: Shift attention to side issues or pass responsibility to another group. For example, if you demand a hazardous waste cleanup, they might talk about an unrelated environmental bill Deceive: Spread disinformation (deliberately), or misinformation (unintentionally) Mislead you into thinking meaningful action is happening when it is not. This includes offering fake solutions or setting up misleading meetings These may hinder your progress towards your goals and Near Star. The best way to deal with these is generally to charge: Frame the debate on your terms Publicise the tactics your opponent is taking Maintain your narrative Use trusted messengers to spread your narrative Avoid engaging directly with trolls ; instead, leverage supporters to use their weight against them and expose their inconsistencies Sidestep situational storms In a situational storm, an opponent might: Delay: Pretend to address the issue without actually doing anything, hoping to wear you out and make you lose momentum Divide: Create division within your group or between your group and the community. They might try to dox (publish private information about you), attack (to disable a website or other systems or infrastructure) separate moderate members from more militant ones Dulcify: Soothe or pacify by offering small concessions or benefits, diverting attention from the long-term issues Deny: Refuse to acknowledge the problem or your proposed solution. They might claim there's no problem or it is not significant enough - or launch a lawsuit against you Deal: Offer to work with you to find a mutually acceptable solution. However, be cautious of compromises that do not provide real value This kind of storm threatens your Near Star. The best way to deal with these is to sidestep and look at how you can use the situation to your advantage. You could: Consider your opponent’s psychology: You may do better by seeking a solution or partnership with them rather opposition Create illusion: Vary your tactics to keep them guessing. Trick your opponents into misjudging your plans, e.g. by making them think you have more resources or planned actions. This spreads their focus and weakens their response Seek support or solidarity Respond through allies or messengers that your audiences trust Raise funds for legal defense Know when to negotiate: Negotiation means settling a dispute through compromise, not surrender. Probing with certain tactics can reveal if negotiation is possible. Be careful not to propose talks too soon, as this might be seen as weakness. Compromise carefully. Giving up too quickly can cost you, while being too rigid can end talks. Understanding the political, economic, and social context helps in making wise decisions Use their weight against them: Nonviolence exposes your opponents’ harsh responses and can sway public sympathy. This works by affecting three groups: Uncommitted third parties: Witnessing repression of peaceful activists moves uninvolved people to support Opponent’s supporters: Violence against peaceful protestors can create dissent within the opponent’s group General grievance group: Enduring repression strengthens the resolve of activists Adjust your immediate goals or Near Star (in some situations) Adapt to existential storms In an existential storm, an opponent might try to: Destroy: Use legal or economic means to destabilize, bankrupt or eliminate your group through legal actions or law changes to restrict civil society space. This might include threats of lawsuits or actual legal action to intimidate you In such critical situations it is crucial to adapt. Consider alternative strategies to advance to your overarching goal or Guiding Star including: Change your Near Star Concentrate your strength against the opponent’s weakness: Use indirect approaches. Create the appearance of dispersed forces to cause the opponent to spread out, making your concentrated efforts more effective. Avoid giving your opponent time to concentrate their forces against you or build belief that they are winning Redirect or share resources with other activists or organizations Adjust your focus or explore new approaches By using these strategies it is possible to “downgrade” a storm from an existential threat to a situational or developmental obstacle. Read more: Dealing with the Opposition paper https://commonslibrary.org/disinformation-101/ More detail and case studies: https://commonslibrary.org/how-to-dealing-with-disinformation/ Civil society organization vs attacks cheatsheet: https://www.metgroup.com.mx/civilstory/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SCO-attacks-cheatsheet.pdf STORY Dealing With A Government Crackdown, India An existential storm hit an environmental organization (names withheld for protection) in India - a series of coordinated direct attacks on their choice to campaign against massive fossil fuel companies, who were in regular communications with government authorities. The storm included a long list of hostile tactics: Discredit: An organized raid on the organization’s offices one regular working Monday by government officials who accused the organization of financial money laundering Destroy: Locked organization bank accounts so that salaries, rents and even electricity bills were not allowed to be paid Deceive: Fake media stories (disinformation) circulated among different local and national media to crackdown on the organization and question their legitimacy and credibility Destroy: Threats of jail sentences without bail issued to the organization leadership Discredit and Destroy: Private raids of the houses of elderly parents of campaigners and board members Although this storm disrupted the work of the organization, its campaigners were able to take very slow, strategic, steps to emerge from the crisis. This enabled them to revert to doing their work, but in different forms. First the crisis management team focused on a few things: Framed the debate internally on their terms: They maintained transparency within the team to avoid creating any internal divisions, so they could remain united. Considered their opponents’ psychology: A delay tactic was employed to give time to the authorities to tire out and eventually shift their focus to other things. Avoided engaging directly: They maintained their narratives but did not get caught up in a media battle. Instead they focused on a legal strategy that would prove them to be legitimate in their work and the allegations leveled against them to be false. Changed their Near Star and Adjusted their focus: of winning the ongoing campaigns was shifted to keeping the organization functioning and having the resources to fight the legal battle. Redirected resources: Due to the bank account blockades bankruptcy was unavoidable so the teams had to be dismantled but with application of foresight, maintaining transparency, it was done smoothly avoiding all possible disruptions. A small team of less than 10 people was maintained along with lawyers to continue the legal cases. Shared intelligence with others: Meanwhile the original campaigns were led by partners and allies so that they didn’t lose momentum while this organization dealt with the crisis in hand. Created illusion: As a tactic, the offices were closed down or shrunk to give an illusion of success to their detractors, and to remove the risks of further raids and direct attacks. The delay tactic allowed the campaign narrative to persist, while also helping the organization to win the legal case and finally rebuild itself back to its full capacity. While many organizations were devastated in face of similar attacks, foresight, resilience and smart strategic methods to wrestle with the trolls helped this organization to survive, thrive and reinvest itself. STORY The Indigenous Land Rights Movement, Philippines State and corporate actors including large-scale mining operations had been encroaching on ancestral lands in the Philippines. The Indigenous Land Rights Movement in the Philippines, particularly among the Lumad people in Mindanao, had three objectives: Resist displacement by both state and corporate actors Protect Indigenous lands from exploitation Secure legal recognition of Indigenous land rights The movement negotiated all three types of storm caused by these opponents: Developmental Storm Discredit: Opponents, including some government officials and corporate interests, sought to undermine the credibility of the indigenous groups by portraying them as obstructive or radical The movement framed the debate on their terms , and used their narrative around human rights and environmental justice The movement used trusted messengers among media and international support to highlight their legitimate claims Discount: Opponents tried to minimize the importance of the land rights issue, with claims that the land was of little economic value or that Indigenous claims were exaggerated. The movement maintained its narrative by consistently presenting evidence of the cultural, ecological, and legal significance of their land Deflect: To divert attention, opponents sometimes focused on unrelated issues, such as alleged corruption or infighting within the movement The activists avoided engaging directly, and maintained a clear focus on their core issues and publicizing any attempts to shift the narrative away from the land rights at stake Deceive: Opponents proposed false solutions or misleading meetings to pacify the activists without addressing their core concerns The movement publicised the tactics that the opponent was taking , stayed vigilant, fact-checked the offers, and demanded genuine engagement rather than token gestures Situational Storm Delay: Government agencies and corporations sometimes made symbolic promises of consultations or negotiations while continuing with their projects The movement adapted by using these delays to build broader alliances and secure additional support from both national and international bodies Divide: Opponents tried to create divisions within the indigenous groups or between them and local communities The movement worked to foster unity and solidarity through grassroots organizing and outreach to other affected communities Dulcify: Opponents occasionally offered small concessions to appease the activists while continuing harmful activities The movement avoided being pacified by focusing on long-term goals and maintaining pressure on policymakers Deny: Opponents often tried to deny the existence or significance of indigenous land rights. The movement used the weight of opponents against them - it used legal frameworks and international human rights standards to affirm its claims and mobilize support Existential Storm Destroy: Opponents used severe repression on the movement, including violent attacks and legal actions against activists. The movement prioritized resilience as its Near Star , which helped it to: Concentrate its strength on the opponents’ weakness through high-impact legal cases Share resources with international human rights organizations who also took action Create the appearance of dispersed forces : Highlight the severity of the repression, thus galvanizing global support The Indigenous Land Rights Movement in the Philippines achieved several successes including: Increased recognition of indigenous land rights in some areas. Heightened international awareness of the issues faced by the Lumad people. Despite ongoing challenges and repression, the movement's strategic responses helped mitigate some of the impacts of the various storms they encountered, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of multifaceted opposition. Further reading: https://populationandsecurity.com/lumads-in-the-philippians-an-enduring-fight-for-indigenous-rights/ ; see also https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/us-land-life ; and https://youtu.be/LwQpFmcR2eY TOOL Simulation & Preventation Review your Storm Chart. In a group, discuss the most likely crises or opportunities that might arise because of your opponents’ actions against you or others. Stick these most likely scenarios on the storm chart. Which of the “D” strategies is it similar to? Consider the four strategy types and the example responses from the storm chart. Which could you take? What might the consequences, new challenges or opportunities that could arise in the system as a result? Agree and write up your proactive plan to diffuse opponents’ pressure in advance, and reactive plan to respond to opponents’ pressure. Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Section 2 Equilibrium Chapter 8 Force begets resistance Systems resist change — but resistance can be turned into momentum. This chapter explores how to identify and work with “shooting stars”: disruptive forces and unexpected allies that can shift a system’s direction. There are resistant forces in every system that you can work with. The Lakota proverb “Force begets resistance” can inspire hope - and familiar frustrations - in any campaigner. When we look around we see that we are not alone in seeking change. Other activists, groups and alliances are also pursuing goals, which may align with or conflict with ours. When you act, expect reactions. At every level of the system, there will be actual, potential, or emergent resistance by people and organizations with varying degrees of success. We call these shooting stars - they can be destructive, changing the orbit and structure of planets, moons and other stars - but in many cultures, seeing one represents good luck and hope. With a systems change perspective, we recognize the important opportunity for productive disruption that might come from changing patterns of how interactions are happening, where information flows, and who is making decisions. Some of the most impactful campaigns have come from unexpected alliances across movements, when diverse actors join forces to create new shared narratives. Opponents’ apparent successes or overreactions can create important, unexpected opportunities. “Movements are born of critical connections rather than critical mass.” Grace Lee Boggs, American feminist activist Some example shooting stars which campaigns have successfully collaborated with include: Direct action organizations Schoolteachers Doctors and nurses Unions Landless movements LGBTQI+ organizations Scientists Celebrities Transport workers Startup technology businesses Activist investors (investors who proactively seek to change how companies work) Pro-tax billionaires Factory workers, e.g. in munitions factories Women’s lawyer associations Older people’s movements Bank employees Fashion models Digital activist networks, e.g. Anonymous It is essential to spot these shooting stars as disruptions and alternatives that we can work with to strengthen and build effective resistance and change a system’s health. A shooting star can create momentum for systems change, and the key is to work with it to change the system in a direction that advances toward your near and guiding stars. Often, organizations plan to achieve change assuming they can do it alone, even if they create a stakeholder map . A well-known global campaign organization is known to have had the theory of change that only it could make the difference. It has since diversified to support other local organizations better suited to handle conflicts and other issues. We need to focus on building power with and power within to dismantle or shift the power held over us. Change is not one directional. We cannot ignore those around us if we want to change systems. As extractivism worsens and morphs into newer forms to justify its continued existence (e.g.: mining for critical minerals on the African continent in the name of renewable energy for over-consumptive lifestyles in Europe and north America), cross-movement and unexpected alliances become more crucial for shifting systems. We propose that you look across the system you are targeting for shooting stars and proactively reach out to them to: Share your goals Share your system analysis and approaches to change Discuss how you could collaborate now and in different scenarios Agree on joint commitments, collaborations, and how you will share resources STORY Idle No More, Canada The Idle No More campaign was launched by four Indigenous women—Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Nina Wilson, Jessica Gordon, and Sylvia McAdam—who were concerned about legislative changes threatening Indigenous rights and environmental protections in Canada. They built movement momentum through social media and grassroots organizing, mobilizing widespread support across Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. The campaign aimed to address and oppose legislative measures such as Canada’s Bill C-45, which the movement argued undermined Indigenous land rights and environmental safeguards. The campaign took the following approach: Recognition that systemic change needs system-wide alliances: Idle No More highlighted the need for systemic change and a respectful, nation-to-nation relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples. This became a core part of its message. Seek out shooting stars: The campaign knew it needed to build a broad coalition of supporters to challenge these policies and advocate for greater respect and recognition of Indigenous rights, so set out to work with other shooting stars. Critical connections before critical mass: The campaign emphasized the importance of collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, to tap into power within. Idle No More built diverse alliances through building power with environmental groups, labor unions, and civil society organizations, to strengthen their advocacy and influence policy discussions. The movement then used these connections to amplify its message. Tactics to help people connect, learn and organize: Used social media to connect activists and supporters across Canada and globally. Organized protests, teach-ins, and flash mobs to draw attention to issues of Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and human rights. The Idle No More campaign became a movement, and succeeded in many ways: It brought Indigenous issues to the forefront of Canadian political discourse. It helped catalyze a broader public awareness of Indigenous rights and contributed to the initiation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was established to address the legacy of residential schools and promote reconciliation. The movement’s efforts have had a lasting impact on Canadian society, influencing public opinion and policy on Indigenous issues. It has prompted significant discussions about the need for genuine reconciliation and systemic changes to address historical injustices. Idle No More continues to play a role in the broader reconciliation process in Canada. It has helped sustain momentum for addressing Indigenous issues, including land rights, self-governance, and socio-economic disparities. The movement has also been instrumental in pushing for concrete actions and policies that support the TRC's Calls to Action and foster a more respectful relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian government. Read more: https://idlenomore.ca/ TOOL Shooting Stars Spot disruptions: Look again at your Star Chart. Where are there current or emergent disruptions changing the system's balance? What relationships give them power with others or within? What might these disruptors need to have a greater impact? What could help or prevent them from doing so? Trace the path: Follow the path of each shooting star. What is likely to happen? Where is it going? How fast is it moving? Will it hit another element, relationship, or another shooting star? Assess impact: How influential could this shooting star be? What will happen upon impact? Will it cause a relationship to stabilize, stagnate, become vicious or virtuous? Will the shooting star replace another element in a relationship? What effect will that have? Will it fragment and impact multiple relationships? Consider timing: What happens if multiple shooting stars impact at the same time? Collaborate: Set up a meeting with other shooting stars (organizations, individuals) or the most relevant people to discuss them. What do others want from the system? Share your strategy. Can you find common ground to collaborate? How might that change the system and at what level? Prioritise: Which collaborations need to be prioritized, when and how? While impact on the deepest level creates the biggest change, you or your allies may need to prioritize focusing on other levels of the system simultaneously to ensure that happens. Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Section 1 System Chapter 1 We live in systems There is no single set of definitions for the key concepts in systems thinking and strategic communication — even the word “narrative” does not translate well into many languages other than English. For the purpose of shared understanding, however, it’s helpful to form a shared vocabulary we will use together with the S.E.N.S.E. methodology. Here is our definition of key terms: strategy, communications, and systems. Strategy Strategy: A plan of action to achieve a specific goal. It involves different actions or tactics in different places and times. Communications Communication: The broadcasting or exchanging of information, knowledge, or ideas through speech, writing, non-verbal cues, electronic or traditional media, and large-scale societal conversations. Communication is the glue that holds strategy together and propels it forward in the real world. Strategies that treat communications as an afterthought often fail. Simply broadcasting information, especially alarming or controversial content, can exacerbate denial and polarization. Framing: The choices we make regarding how to present ideas (consciously or unconsciously) that shape how people think, feel, and act, usually geared towards long-term shifts. We frame ideas using the following building blocks: Narrative: A big idea that helps you understand the world - like the bootstraps narrative of making your own success through hard work. A narrative contains types of characters, plots, and places - like the Hero’s Journey. Narratives are made up of stories. Story: A specific account of events or ideas. A story contains particular characters, plots, and places, such as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars. Stories are made up of messages. Message: An idea, talking point, phrase, or hashtag that suits the political moment, usually geared towards a short-term attitude/behavior change. Strategic Communications: An intentional communications program designed to advance progress toward a defined goal. To achieve this purpose, strategies weave together approaches from various communications disciplines, including but not limited to public relations, media engagement, influencer and digital marketing, advertising, issue campaigns, cyber advocacy, and more. Effective strategic communications begins with effectively understanding the target audience. This typically involves engaging that audience with your knowledge or ideas to inspire a shift in understanding, action, or decisions. To do this: Identify and listen to the appropriate target audience. Craft and exchange tailored, values-based information through the most effective messenger and relevant channels at the right time, in a repeated process. Design and deliver strategies and tactics from the most relevant communications disciplines, including public and media relations, influencer and digital marketing, and social and audience research. Narrative change work attempts to influence the narratives that shape laws, societies and norms, and how they are implemented. Systems Systems: Arrangements of tangible elements (e.g., people and institutions) and intangible elements (values and norms) working together towards a common goal, like in a natural ecosystem, a government, or the human body. Linear strategic thinking assumes a direct cause-and-effect relationship between elements. The classic approach involves: Defining the problem Setting a S.M.A.R.T. goal Identifying a target decision-maker and/or audience Outlining a strategy with objectives Defining and executing tactics and plans Linear thinking can work in ordered, less complex situations with few actors, but it often fails when we are seeking systemic change. Systems thinking focuses on the relationships among a system's parts, not just the parts themselves. It is like seeing a forest and understanding how trees, soil, animals, and weather interact to form an interconnected system. In systems thinking, the whole is more than the sum of its parts, and the connections between parts are crucial. Tackling problems as systems Winning campaigns, programs and projects require an effective narrative change strategy - with strategic communications and systems thinking at its heart. Use the tool in this chapter to practice applying a system lens to a common problem analysis approach, a Context Analysis, or P.E.S.T.L.E. analysis. A Context Analysis includes factors like social norms and key audiences who are not always visible but do shape the system and status quo.** Footnote: ** To run a P.E.S.T.L.E. analysis, list out the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors that are or could be affecting the challenge or system that you’re facing. To run a Context Analysis, list out the social norms, narratives, emotions and audience identities as well as the P.E.S.T.L.E. factors above. CONCEPT Systems thinking embraces interconnectedness The way many of us are taught to think about solving problems is most effective for simple challenges and controlled classroom exercises. Decades of mainstream education and socialization - rooted in ‘enlightenment thinking’ from Europe - have taught us to break the world into manageable pieces and see issues in isolation from each other, addressing each challenge in turn. This common sense problem-solving approach implicitly informs how adults in many of the world’s cultures and geographies address challenges they face in their working lives, be that setting government policy or defining a company's corporate strategy. While this might be the most effective approach for organizing a family to share household chores or friends to divide up buying groceries at the supermarket, it is rarely the right approach for making real-world progress on solving more significant environmental and societal issues. The problem with this ‘common sense’ approach is that it tends to focus on treating the most visible symptoms, but not actually solving the root causes of what we see. But when we look at the world through a systems lens, we see that everything is interconnected. Problems are connected to many elements within dynamic systems. If we just treat one symptom, the effects of our interventions often lead to unintended consequences elsewhere in the system. Systems thinking shows us that everything is part of a larger whole and that the connections between all elements are critical. It helps us to be more effective.* Real-world systems are often non-linear and complex rather than being neatly organized into structured layers. So, where do we even begin? Diagrams like those below help us to understand the layers of a system initially. If you’re familiar with a P.E.S.T.L.E. (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) Analysis of the issue you are facing, that’s a good place to start. The S.E.N.S.E. Methodology takes inspiration from the MobLab to adapt and extend a PESTLE analysis with a systems lens. Read through the story below as an example, and try using the tools to look at your challenges through a system lens. Footnote: *With thanks to MobLab (text adapted from MobLab presentation) STORY Help Delhi Breathe, India Delhi citizens were frustrated. By the winter of 2015, decades of air pollution in Delhi had risen to their worst levels, among the worst in the world. Human activity and demand for goods had driven industrial pollution through crop burning, and vehicle and infrastructural emissions. Together with inadequate government measures, this had big ecological impacts on Delhi and beyond. Campaigners saw how these layers of the system were interconnected, and how many different social groups were affected. They knew that bringing together Delhi’s different groups would be key to getting the government to change its policies to improve air quality. Then, they formed the Help Delhi Breathe campaign as a platform for people to share their concerns and mobilize actions. This was rooted in a broader national movement - the National Coalition for Clean Air. The Delhi campaign used social media and on-the-ground networks to spread awareness and engage people in a different vision for the city and its communities. Mobilizing Interconnected Communities The campaign connected with stakeholders who were all directly affected by the pollution: local groups, long-time activists and new participants. It used creative messaging to spread awareness and mobilize action. They targeted specific influential tech-savvy middle- and upper-class groups: Mothers and Schools: Schools monitored air quality and communicated the dangers to families, making mothers key advocates for clean air. This group was hard for those in power to ignore. Entrepreneurs: Small business leaders and startups, like a company making stylish breathing masks, joined the campaign, promoting solutions and organizing events like Clean Air Fairs. This showed that those in industry, responsible for the root cause of pollution, wanted action. Expatriates: Foreigners living in Delhi, used to stricter environmental standards, voiced their concerns, drawing more attention to the issue. Many of these people had strong connections with industry and the government. Direct actions for stakeholders to take and feel part of something bigger: Events: To demonstrate diverse support across society: The first air pollution rally in January 2016, which mobilized hundreds and sparked media debate, leading to the government’s new transportation policy. To show business support: The campaign organized the Clean Air Fair which brought green businesses and local organizations together to promote climate solutions. Petitions gathering nearly 100,000 signatures each: For air pollution displays - so all stakeholders could see the current air quality status. For approval of Delhi’s Solar Policy - so people and businesses could hold the government to account. Systemic Approach to Maintaining Momentum It takes time to build campaign architecture to influence the human and industrial layers of the system, and shift the thinking of decision-makers. Help Delhi Breathe sustained pressure and momentum by: Organizing and engaging communities: Smaller activities during less polluted seasons. Partnering with grassroots groups to push for renewable solutions, like residential solar power. Running digital and offline campaigns including polls, videos and social media content that reached millions. Help Delhi Breathe influenced public discourse, engaged diverse community groups, and successfully pressured the government to recognize and address the air pollution crisis. The campaign engaged thousands of citizens and organizations and gained 50 media mentions and millions of social media views. It also trained 40 Solar Ambassadors, created 1,750 solar assessment leads, and supported nationwide coalitions for clean air, setting a foundation for ongoing environmental advocacy. As a result, the government approved a new Solar Policy for Delhi, and the Health Minister committed to installing air quality displays so that the public could monitor their air quality at any time. Read more: https://mobilisationlab.org/stories/help-delhi-breathe-clean-air-delhi/ and https://www.purpose.com/case_studies/help-delhi-breathe. TOOL Problem Statement and Systems Circles Write down the problem you are trying to solve in 1-2 sentences. Make sure you are clear on the differences between the problem and its short- and long-term causes and consequences. Systems Circles Draw the concentric circles above on an A3 sheet and stick up on the wall. Gather a set of Post-Its. Write down and stick on each key factor that is influencing the way this system functions, one per Post-It. If you’re in a group, work individually first and then only afterwards compare notes. Write down and stick on the diagram, each actor who can help solve the problem or make it worse.; and each driving force who may persuade the decision-makers. Draw relationship lines (thick lines for strong influences or relationships, thin lines for weak ones) between the Post-Its. Group the factors. Among these, also add a question mark to any about which you are uncertain. Step Back and Discuss Consider the Problem Chart and Systems Circles together: What do these diagrams tell you about the challenge you’re facing? How do communications power those relationships? “A system is never the sum of its parts; it's the product of their interaction.” Russell L. Ackoff Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Section 3 Navigation Chapter 14 Values are bedrock Values are the bedrock of worldviews, shaping decisions, communities, and behaviors. To move stakeholders, campaigns must appeal to values they already prioritize—especially community (ethics, connection) and autonomy (openness to change). A stakeholder will want to act if we appeal to their values. Just as the moon, winds, and ocean currents shape the seas, the ocean floor (bedrock) also plays a crucial role by affecting the density and temperature of the water above it. Values are the bedrock or foundation of our worldview. They shape our behaviors, the communities we join, and even the people and media that set the rules for our world. Value priorities are our preferred values. They serve as standards, guiding us in deciding what is good or worthwhile. They can change slowly, or quickly if in a crisis where for example someone’s value priority of altruism might shift in order to put food on the table for their family. As campaigners and communicators, our target audience may not always prioritize the same values as us. As one strategic comms expert offered: “Remember: We are not the audience.” Our task is to appeal to certain value priorities in certain situations. We can frame messages to bring different values to the fore, helping to strengthen our audience’s ability to experience and use those values in their own decision-making. “You can't get people to change, except in the direction that they want to change.” Milton Rokeach / Shalom Schwarz We have created a guide to framing messages for different relationships and audiences based on their values, adapted from the work of Liz Manne and Harmony Labs, based on Shalom Schwarz. This guide starts by laying out four areas of value priorities: Autonomy (I): Openness to change (values like hedonism, stimulation, self-direction). These values prioritize seeking new experiences. Community (Us): Self-transcendence (values like universalism, benevolence). These values prioritize ethics, new ideas, and connecting actions to values. Authority (Me): Self-enhancement (values like achievement, power). These values prioritize personal success and influence. Order (We): Conservation (values like security, conformity, tradition). These values prioritize stability and self-esteem. This framework helps us identify the values of key relationships and individuals that maintain the system’s equilibrium. It also guides us in framing our messages to influence these relationships and stakeholders. “Feed what you want to grow, not what you want to fight - Building narrative power demands building new vocabularies. This requires making people familiar with your ideas rather than using old, harmful frames and tropes to get your point across.” Thomas Coombes To galvanize action for social or environmental change, we must appeal to the bigger than self intrinsic values of community (self-transcendence) and autonomy (openness to change). If we try to appeal just to self-interest or social status values, we are being incoherent with our mission, less effective and not building the changes we want to see. When combined with other tools discussed in this Section, we have a comprehensive way to target and frame all our messaging. Read more: Liz Manne and Harmony Labs’ Narrative Observatory on audiences, with examples from the USA: https://narrativeobservatory.org/audiences CONCEPT Ten Basic Personal Values Shalom Schwarz identified ten basic personal values identifiable across multiple cultures: conformity, tradition, security, power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism and benevolence. The Public Interest Research Centre (PIRC) created a values map to show where some of these values and their components are related. We recommend looking at the map to explore how close certain values are to each other. If a target audience prioritizes one value, it will be easiest to get them to prioritize another close to that value on the map. While helpful for considering groupings of values, we do not recommend it for targeted campaign planning purposes. Sources: *The values map and wheel are both from: Holmes T., Blackmore, E., Hawkins, R. and Wakeford, T. (2011), The Common Cause Handbook: Public Interest Research Centre https://publicinterest.org.uk/download/values/Common%20Cause%20Handbook.pdf STORY Religious Values & Climate Change, Indonesia Religion has proven to be a powerful lens, or worldview, through which people organize in Indonesia, particularly during elections like the 2019 Presidential Election. Indonesia is highly vulnerable to climate change, experiencing climate-related impacts and disasters annually, but there is not yet a unifying narrative around the drivers of and solutions to the climate crisis. With 1,340 ethnic groups and over 700 local languages, defining and identifying climate change the way that Western media and scientists do is challenging. It is liminal—existing between different beliefs and at the edges of understanding. While some local languages can describe climate phenomena as “pancaroba”, “pagebluk” or “paceklik,” there is no single term that encapsulates the scientific concept of climate change. In Indonesia, national climate audience research revealed that Indonesians place greater trust in local government figures and faith leaders over national government officials or NGOs. With 87% of the population being Sunni Muslim, Islam plays a significant role in shaping cultural and political dynamics. However, communicating the urgency of climate change in 2019 was challenging due to the diverse cultural and linguistic landscape, where Western scientific terminology wasn't easily understood or accepted. The MOSAIC (Muslims for Shared Actions on Climate Impact) campaign formed to mobilize Indonesians for climate action by aligning the message with their existing values and belief systems. The campaign needed to effectively engage the population by leveraging the values of Community (self-transcendence), prioritizing ethics, new ideas, and connecting actions to values. This approach emphasized the ethical responsibility of Muslims to protect the environment, connecting climate action with Islamic teachings on stewardship and benevolence. The campaign did this through Ecosystem Mapping and Engagement: The campaign began with comprehensive ecosystem mapping to identify key players and understand their values, needs, and current actions. Significant Islamic organizations like Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) were identified as pivotal due to their influence and alignment with the values of community and benevolence. These organizations were engaged through dialogue and collaboration to promote environmental stewardship as a core Islamic value. Building Trust and Collaboration: Trust and collaboration were built through various convenings, including the organization of the "Kongres Umat Islam untuk Indonesia Lestari" (Muslims Congress for Sustainable Indonesia). Triggering the Community values priority: This congress emphasized the ethical responsibility of Muslims to care for the environment, framing climate action as a moral imperative rooted in Islamic values. The manifesto developed at the congress was endorsed by the vice president, a prominent Islamic leader, further reinforcing the message. Developing Initiatives: Following the congress, the campaign developed several initiatives aligned with the values of community and self-transcendence: Islamic Philanthropy for Climate Funding: "Sedekah Energy" and "Forest Waqf" to encourage community-based environmental action, linking charitable giving with sustainability efforts. Training and incubation projects: “Bengkel Hijrah Iklim” projects led by Islamic youth leaders to empower the next generation of environmental advocates. Knowledge Hub: A "Fiqht for Just Energy Transition" to legitimize and socialize climate action within the Islamic community, ensuring that actions are grounded in religious teachings. Social media platform: “Umat untuk Semesta” was a social media platform focused on the intersection of Islam and the environment, helping to spread the message of climate action as a communal and ethical responsibility. The campaign successfully Engaged millions of Muslims across Indonesia by connecting climate action with Islamic values of benevolence and community. Gained recognition from media outlets like AP, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Got endorsed by the Indonesian Vice President and the Great Imam of Istiqlal, the biggest mosque in Southeast Asia. Laid the foundation for a sustainable, values-driven climate movement. TOOL Finding Bedrock Which values are driving your mission and driving the key stakeholders or relationships you need to influence? Are you appealing to the bigger than self values of community or autonomy? How might you tap into your audiences’ own bigger than self values? Part 1 Draw the values chart on the left. Write on Post-Its and place on the chart: Your organization or campaign’s mission; The key relationship(s) that you need to influence; The deep loop elements that maintain the system; The communities that are most trusted by the key relationships; The messengers most trusted by the key relationships. Discuss where the Post-Its are clustered and where there are gaps. What does this tell you about the gaps in values that you need to cross in order for your targets to act? Part 2 Now, how might you frame your message to appeal to the community and autonomy values in your audiences? How could you get them to think bigger than themselves and take action? As a group, draft messages that could activate this value priority in your audience, in line with your campaign mission. Consider how these messages could work within your existing campaign branding or messaging, advocacy and communications Seek opportunities to test these messages using the techniques in Chapter 15: Decisions are Learned and Chapter 16: Emotion is Oxygen . Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Section 2 Equilibrium Chapter 9 Loops can be unlocked Systems are powered by loops that can either drive progress or reinforce stagnation. Identifying a system’s deep loop — the underlying cycle that sustains it — is key to unlocking lasting change. The Arab Spring illustrates how virtuous, vicious, stabilizing, and stagnating loops can shape the trajectory of entire movements. Unlock and replace a system’s deep loop to shift the system itself. In Chapter 6 we saw how relationships power systems . Whether mutualist, commensalist or parasitic, the different members or elements of each relationship (whether people or things) can gain or lose from their interactions. These interactions are called loops. In this Chapter we see how loops power relationships . Every system has multiple loops between multiple actors and elements, and beneath it all has a deep loop (or loops) that drives and sustains it, keeping it aligned with its Guiding Star. Changemakers spend hours attempting to draw or write out a linear theory of change to explain why or how their efforts will succeed, when often they have not identified what the essential elements, relationships or loops are that need to change. Here we propose a more effective systems-led approach: to identify a deep loop to explain what needs to change at specific levels of the system. Then Sections 3 and 4 of this resource will help us establish how to make those changes happen. There are three steps to this process: Identify the loops among the relationships in the system. To understand how these loops work it is helpful to consider the four types of loop: Vicious loops make things worse. For example, poverty reduces literacy. This increases unemployment, which increases poverty. Virtuous loops make things better. For example, a parent that holds high trust in their child offers the child more freedom. The child wants this to continue and so behaves well, earning more trust. Stabilizing loops keep things from getting worse. For example, the use of fossil fuels goes up. This reduces the available reserves, causing the price to go up. This reduces people’s use of fossil fuels. Stagnating loops keep things from getting better. For example, a student's behavior improves, so the teacher's expectations rise. Then, the teacher praises the student less and the student's behavior does not improve further. Identify the main themes or issues that summarize the loops. These could range from civic space and freedom of speech, to church approval of government policy. Identify where you and any shooting stars or allies in the system could focus to shift the system, and your aims and objectives Footnotes: ** https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/stars-milky-way-navigation-dung-beetles CONCEPT Virtuous Loop CONCEPT Vicious Loop CONCEPT Stabilising loop CONCEPT Stagnating loop STORY Protests and Uprising Loops Across the Middle East, Late 2010 A series of anti-government protests and uprisings known in the Western world as the “Arab Spring” began in the Middle East in late 2010 and spread across a number of countries, including Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. In general, the movements in each country aimed to challenge authoritarian regimes, demand democratic reforms, and address economic grievances. It sought to leverage social media to mobilize masses and amplify dissent. Campaigners in some countries communicated and shared tactics with each other. These protests and uprisings demonstrated multiple types of loops: Virtuous Loops: In Tunisia, the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi sparked widespread protests. The rapid spread of information via social media created a virtuous loop: increased visibility of the protests led to greater international support and further mobilization. The success in Tunisia inspired similar movements in other countries, creating a positive feedback loop that encouraged additional protests. Vicious Loops: In countries like Syria and Libya, the uprisings quickly became violent conflicts. The brutal responses from the regimes led to a vicious loop: the more severe the repression, the more radicalized the opposition became. This was exacerbated by different forms of international and geopolitical interventions, including the support for and facilitation of foreign fighters into the countries, Syria in particular. These dynamics exacerbated the conflict, leading to prolonged violence and instability, and making peaceful resolution increasingly difficult. Stabilizing Loops: In some cases, regimes used stabilizing loops to maintain their control. For example, in Egypt, the military’s intervention after the fall of President Mubarak aimed to stabilize the situation by maintaining a semblance of order. While initially successful in quelling immediate unrest, it also resulted in the perpetuation of authoritarian practices and the consolidation of military power, which many saw as a return to the old regime in a new guise. Stagnating Loops: The aftermath of the protests in several countries saw stagnating loops. The lack of effective governance and the impacts of ongoing conflicts and geopolitical proxy wars directly affecting countries like Libya and Yemen led to a stagnation of progress. Instead of achieving democratic reforms, these nations experienced prolonged instability and economic downturns, with political systems remaining in turmoil. Their stability today remains worsened due to their positions at geopolitical crosshairs of conflicts between other powerful states including the US, Saudi Arabia and Iran. These protests and uprisings led to varying outcomes across the region. Tunisia managed a relatively successful transition to democracy, showing the positive impact of virtuous loops. In contrast, countries like Syria and Libya fell into prolonged conflict and instability due to vicious and stagnating loops which did not shift the system positively. The complex interplay of these loops creating an overall stagnation shows how initial positive momentum can be undermined by entrenched power structures and external factors, influencing the long-term success of social movements. This illustrates how multiple types of loops can interact within a single broader movement, affecting different aspects and regions differently, and shaping the overall outcome of collective action. TOOL Deep Loop Identify the loops among the relationships in the system. Identify the main themes that summarize the loops. For example, in a highly religious forest-rich country which exports a large amount of wood, there could be illegal logging taking place which is threatening forest communities and ecosystems. A general election is approaching. The government wants to continue. So a deep loop might include the relationship between the following themes: Safety for forest communities in doing forest monitoring Levels of legal and illegal deforestation Freedom of media to access and share information Government reputation International investment in the country Church approval of the government Potential for government re-election 3. Identify where you and any shooting stars or allies in the system could focus to shift the system, and your aims and objectives. For example in the forest-rich country your organization or your allies might wish to focus on: Building relationships with the Church to accompany forest communities in forest monitoring Build connections with different media to ensure quick access to authoritative events as they happen in the forests, as well as support forest communities to become spokespeople Advocate to other governments on the need for independent and safe forest monitoring in your country Build relationships with opinion leaders to speak out on the benefits of respecting forest communities, and the benefits of protecting their environment Once you have done this, we recommend comparing this deep loop to the narratives you find across the system in Chapter 10. How is the deep loop the cause of / strengthened or weakened by those narratives? Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Section 2 Equilibrium Purpose Learn how to set effective goals and how to shift relationships to shift a system. How to use this section Read this before you analyze stakeholders or set an aim or objectives. We understand our current position and the system we are in. Now, where do we go from here? For thousands of years, humans have looked to the stars to understand their place in the world and navigate from one place to another. They give us meaning, understanding and equilibrium. Similarly, we use a star chart to map which relationships power the system and how to consider these in setting long-term and short-term goals. Systems do not die: A Guiding Star and Near Star act like an aim and objective for a system, serving as its compass. A system can afford to lose sight of its Near Star for a while, but when a system loses sight of its Guiding Star, it can lose its equilibrium and crash. Relationships are power: We know more stories about star constellations than individual stars because power and meaning lie in relationships, not individuals. In this Chapter, we learn how to identify and focus on the most influential relationships in a system through Relationship Constellations. Solidarity is a verb: It is said that history is written by the victors. Those who win are proactive, collaborative, and determined. Here, we learn how to apply our own force to ensure justice, particularly for those whose exclusions are compounded by multiple, overlapping, oppressions at once. Force begets resistance: It is easy to overlook the emergent people and groups within a system that could help us make change happen. Shooting stars can be destructive in space but are a sign of good luck in some cultures. Working with shooting stars by collaborating across movements and beyond can significantly help shift systems. Loops can be unlocked: The loops of stars and planets power the relationships among them. Among those loops is one deep loop that drives the whole system. Only by collaborating to alter this deep loop can we shift a system. Section summary Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Section 4 Storms Purpose Prepare how to flex to be ready when crises or opportunities arise. How to use this section Read this before you set an activity timeline or plan for risks. We have learned that we live in systems, that we need to change their equilibrium to shift them, and that we need to navigate narratives, needs, communities, messengers and values to activate people. But change does not happen in a vacuum. Crises and opportunities come and go like storms in the natural world - and they can be prepared for. Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples follow their own seasonal cycles, different from the Western four-season system. They observe natural signs to predict weather changes* and plan activities like crop rotation or resource gathering accordingly. Preparing for Every Storm Storms can affect any and every level of a system. Storms come in three types: Developmental (an identity challenge or opportunity), Situational (operational challenge or opportunity) and Existential (survival or evolution challenge or opportunity). Storms also have a beginning, middle and an end like any story. Here we use a storm chart to help plan for or create an event affecting your campaign and the system. Interpreting storms Watching a storm approach, we feel changes in air pressure. Similarly, events can start positively or negatively and shift unexpectedly. We should not underestimate storms or our ability to handle them. In Chapter 16 we sit in the eye of the storm, able to diagnose every kind of crisis or opportunity under one of three types. Signs from Nature Nature offers signs of approaching storms or seasons. Dolphins notice changes in water salinity, birds detect shifts in air pressure, and Aboriginal peoples observe insect arrivals. We explain what to watch for. Prevention through Simulation Prevention is better than cure. Simulation helps prevent crises by preparing us to adapt in real time. Testing our responses helps us turn situations to our advantage and reshape the system. Working with Storms When a storm hits, it is better to work with it than to confront it directly. Animals use four strategies: sidestep, adapt, shelter, or charge. They communicate and organize effectively. We show you how to apply these strategies in various situations. Dealing with sustained challenges During monsoon season or prolonged storms, we may need to adjust our goals or strategies to influence stakeholders effectively. This section guides you through managing sustained crises, system shifts, or ongoing challenges. Sources: * https://australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56843 ** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australian_seasons Section summary Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Browse Chapters Close Home Contributors Content Filter Search Results Introduction Section 1: System Chapter 1: We live in systems Chapter 2: The simplicity of complexity Chapter 3: Levels are levers Chapter 4: Autonomy is myth Section 2: Equilibrium Chapter 5: Systems Do Not Die Chapter 6: Relationships Are Power Chapter 7: Solidarity is a verb Chapter 8: Force begets resistance Chapter 9: Loops can be unlocked Section 3: Navigation Chapter 10: Narrative is water Chapter 11: Needs are motives Chapter 12: Communities are currents Chapter 13: The messenger is the message Chapter 14: Values are bedrock Chapter 15: Decisions are learned Chapter 16: Emotion is oxygen Section 4: Storms Chapter 17: Storms are stories Chapter 18: Flexibility is perseverance Chapter 19: Foresight is 20:20 Chapter 20: Wrestling with trolls Chapter 21: Change is constant Section 5: Energy Chapter 22: Reflection is action Chapter 23: Truth is human shaped Chapter 24: Seeds are fruit Chapter 25: Endings are beginnings Conclusion Introduction Why change is hard... Everyone has a theory about how to make change happen. But there is no universal key to unlock every problem. The longer we think that one person alone will fix things, or tell ourselves that something is someone else’s problem, the longer we will remain stuck. Indigenous and First Nations peoples, from Aboriginal Australians to the Lakota people of Turtle Island have known for thousands of years that we are all interconnected, interdependent, and can find solutions to life’s challenges by looking at how nature functions in ecosystems. It’s only in the last 30 years that the rest of the world has begun to do the same, calling this systems thinking. Modern governments, corporations and groups tend to make small, iterative changes for short term benefits, creating very little change for societies and ecosystems. And, just one look at the new headlines makes clear that bolder, more effective action is needed to protect people and the planet. Creating fundamental, long-lasting and meaningful change requires systems thinking. It requires us to make changes at the deepest levels of the systems that shape our lives and world. “I am because we are.” Translation of Ubuntu, name of an African philosophy. For those of us who work for social, environmental or economic justice, we are also caught up in the short-term thinking of the systems we are trying to change. It is all too easy to become overwhelmed by the complexity of problems we seek to address. So let us imagine life in all its complexity, just like a river basin - one huge ecosystem made up of thousands of other ecosystems, interacting with and influencing each other. Working toward change is like building a raft and traversing this roaring river ecosystem. To cross the river successfully, we cannot just paddle a straight line from one shore to another. It is the same with designing and delivering strategic communications and change initiatives. Simplifying away all of the complexity to focus on a linear, short-term, path of change rarely shifts anything for long. We become busy being busy. Understanding the dynamics of inter-related systems within the river that we’re moving through helps us set a course that benefits from helpful flows, manages oppositional currents and avoids dangerous eddies. To move through the systems we must see ourselves as part of them. This is ‘Systems Thinking’ and strategy. Common and uncommon sense What gets in the way of us taking a Systems Thinking approach? Common sense. Common sense is the basic knowledge that most people in a society share and believe to be true. It is shaped by the norms of that society into a powerful narrative. Common sense informs - often implicitly - how we act, understand, behave, live and do as communities and societies. When it is accurate, common sense can help us navigate life’s thousands of daily decisions. When common sense is wrong or misguided, it can lead us as societies into collective delusions and mistakes. Think of the people who were killed for arguing that the Earth orbits the Sun. Sometimes changing the world for the better takes Uncommon Sense. It takes defining a new, better, Common Sense. Let us return to the river basin. If our kayak capsizes as we traverse the river and we find ourselves underwater, there are two possible responses: Intuitive, fear-led common sense might tell us that breathing is the most important thing, so we need to get our head above water as soon as possible. So we thrash our head around trying to get up and breathe, but our head is heavy and we struggle. Systems-thinking uncommon sense would tell us the problem is caused by gravity, our bodyweight and the water density coming together, so we need to act with the flow of the system. We need to act counterintuitively. So we get our body in position under the water level, and we flick our hips or knees to get the kayak up again. This helps bring our head above the water again. Rather than acting on the system, we work with the various forces within the system. This approach will help us to navigate around rocks, converging currents and other obstacles as we move along the water. “Common sense is actually nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind prior to the age of eighteen.” Albert Einstein What is accepted as Common Sense also changes over time. For a thousand years many cultures accepted the world being flat as common sense knowledge. Many cultures also used ‘common sense’ racial and gender hierarchies to justify the killing and oppression of groups of fellow human beings. Common Sense may not always make sense, but it is the common worldview that holds groups together. “Yesterday's deconstructions are often tomorrow's orthodox clichés.” Professor Stuart Hall Clever advertising and public relations professionals are well aware of the power of common sense, as well as how it can be shaped through sustained, targeted strategic communications: Common sense in the West in the 1950s was that plastic was just another item that we could allow to accumulate as rubbish. Then when the public began to find out about plastic as a pollutant, companies created littering campaigns to focus consumers on “cleaning up,” and recycling, despite low global recycling rates. This allowed the companies to continue to produce and sell plastic goods. Common sense is now that consumers are responsible for dealing with plastic. Common sense across much of South Asia in the 1980s-1990s was that people could pick up groceries with whatever they wanted or had available. Common sense now is that plastic bags help to keep groceries dry and can be reused for other purposes. Common sense across the West for most of the twentieth century was that oil extraction was not a problem. Common sense now is that as consumers we must reduce our carbon footprint in order to mitigate climate change. The oil company BP worked with the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather to create the idea of a carbon footprint in the 2000s. This shifted the way we understand the problem, the solution, and who’s responsible from companies to individuals - Climate Disinformation to Carbon Footprint . Additionally, fossil fuel companies promote natural gas as a “clean” solution despite it still being a fossil fuel. Common sense in many countries in the nineteenth century was that we could manage land adequately to feed our populations. Common sense today is that we need monocrops, pesticides, fertilizers and genetically modified crops in order to feed everyone. Food company campaigns in many countries and cultures advance the argument that clearing natural forests and landscapes for food production as well as using pesticides, genetically modified crops, and petrochemical fertilizers necessary to provide sufficient healthy food to a growing population. In reality, there is more than sufficient arable land to feed a growing world population if it is managed well, and many of these proposed “solutions” like monocropping are actually themselves driving new problems. Uncommon sense ideas may be obvious or available, but not recognized, valued or taken up sufficiently. For example, the recognised map of the world is wrong. No one can measure a journey based on it. But actually if you are traveling a conventional North to South, the second world map would probably be more sensible. Comparison of 3 images: Creating a new path “People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.” James Baldwin The societies and environments we live in are complex and constantly changing. Driving progressive social change is rarely as easy as starting in one fixed place and moving to another. We need to be agile in living, breathing, moving, and in interwoven systems. If we understand the systems we pass through as we traverse the river, we can bypass their challenges and benefit from surprising opportunities. If we move the rocks in the river as we pass, we can also make a better path for everyone. We live in systems that come in all shapes and sizes: from the family to the planetary. The Lakota people of North America and Indigenous Australians do not have a word for "nature" because they see humans and nature as one system, not separate entities. This interconnected view is a more logical and strategic way to see and understand the world. In this handbook we look at systems ranging from interpersonal relationships, local communities, whole societies to global narratives. We live in interdependent systems that are built on information and powered by relationships. The uncommon sense approach blends systems thinking, strategic communications and narrative change strategy, to give us five ways to truly shift systems and narratives for a healthier world. How to use this resource This resource is designed for people working for social, environmental, or economic justice at local, national, or international levels. If you are someone who is seeking fresh insights to understand obstacles to change and find better solutions to accelerate change-making, then you have come to the right place. Whether you are donating your time to work on social change in your community, a professional changemaker in a not-for-profit civil society organization, a donor seeking to increase the impact of your philanthropic investments, or a government policymaker seeking to lead more effective change, this resource is designed to help you strengthen your effectiveness and impact. This handbook is packed full of ideas, stories and tools. If you already have a grounding in systems thinking, you will understand the methodologies and tools here more easily. If not, look out for more content coming soon... The ideas in here are curated, not created. This resource benefits from and weaves together the experiences and knowledge of practitioners and researchers from across the Americas, South and Southeast, East Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa. We have looked at complexity and systems in movement practices, Indigenous thinking, academic study, and the natural world, and the latest examples from communicators and campaigners around the world. The methodology introduced in this handbook is built on three main foundations: Systems Thinking for social, environmental and economic justice Strategic Communications across multiple platforms and channels Practical Examples from successful campaigns and narrative change efforts As changemakers we need to sense our way around and through systems in order to change them. We have organized this handbook into five steps - spelling out the word S.E.N.S.E. - to help you approach your challenge: System Equilibrium Navigation Storms Energy We use the S.E.N.S.E. methodology to explore and strategize for change at every level of the system: from the interpersonal relationship to the community, country and planetary narrative. If this is your first time working with the S.E.N.S.E. methodology, we recommend that you work through it in chronological order. Consider reading all the way through the materials over the course of a week, then working with the tools and ideas over the course of a few months or longer as you design and deliver a systems-oriented strategic communications campaign. Give yourself the space to ponder, explore, and challenge your own assumptions. Remember, the S.E.N.S.E. methodology involves a different way of seeing the systems around us and setting strategies for long-term change. Once you are more familiar with the concepts you will discover that this handbook is designed so you can jump back and forth between the chapters or sections that you most need in a particular moment in your change-making work. Use this resource however you want. Attend a Multicultural Leadership Institute training. Create your own strategy workshop. Copy it, stick it on the wall, remix it. And, please let us know how you get on. Share new stories and case studies. Offer suggestions for how this community resource can be even better. We look forward to hearing from you: uncommonsense@multiculturalleadership.org Start Section 1

Browse Chapters Close Home Contributors Content Filter Search Results Introduction Section 1: System Chapter 1: We live in systems Chapter 2: The simplicity of complexity Chapter 3: Levels are levers Chapter 4: Autonomy is myth Section 2: Equilibrium Chapter 5: Systems Do Not Die Chapter 6: Relationships Are Power Chapter 7: Solidarity is a verb Chapter 8: Force begets resistance Chapter 9: Loops can be unlocked Section 3: Navigation Chapter 10: Narrative is water Chapter 11: Needs are motives Chapter 12: Communities are currents Chapter 13: The messenger is the message Chapter 14: Values are bedrock Chapter 15: Decisions are learned Chapter 16: Emotion is oxygen Section 4: Storms Chapter 17: Storms are stories Chapter 18: Flexibility is perseverance Chapter 19: Foresight is 20:20 Chapter 20: Wrestling with trolls Chapter 21: Change is constant Section 5: Energy Chapter 22: Reflection is action Chapter 23: Truth is human shaped Chapter 24: Seeds are fruit Chapter 25: Endings are beginnings Conclusion Conclusion The humans of the last 100 years have: Created beautiful art, music, and culture. Reached the moon and new breakthroughs in science Had a more destructive impact on the rest of the planet than any other living beings in history - surpassed in driving species extinction by only such cataclysmic events on the scale of the meteor that led to the extinction of dinosaurs Until humans realize that we are all interconnected parts of nature, that we need to respect the relationships that bind us, and that how we communicate is what can truly shift change, our children's children will not live in the safe, vibrant, alive place that generations of our forebears have taken for granted. Common sense is that this is man vs nature. Uncommon sense is that we are nature. We need a new common sense. “Action is the antidote to despair.” Joan Baez There are seeds growing: Agroecological economies like West Papua Indigenous-fronted global movements The perception of the Amazon rainforest as a treasure more than a commodity; Increasing interest in post-growth new economic models, Indigenous and complexity thinking Campaigners prioritizing movement strength and social justice alongside regular goals Countries granting citizenship and rights to rivers Charitable foundations handing out their money to civil society with no strings attached Societies of colonizers beginning to engage with their bloody legacies “And what seemed almost impossible looking forward seems almost inevitable looking back.” Frances R. Westley, Getting to Maybe: How the World Is Changed But it is not enough. The iterative approach of most corporate Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) efforts are iterative and unlikely to sufficiently catalyze system change. Political polarization, disinformation, deep-fakes and social media echo chambers are more dominant and widespread than ever, increasing the spread of conspiracy theories. We need a leap not a step forward. Governments and economies that value reciprocity more than growth, that grant and enforce collective rights for land and natural resources alongside people and intersectional environmental justice. And an understanding that together, every one of us has the power to make governments and companies take responsibility, make the short term changes to safeguard the planet we love and that are a part of. “Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.” Dolores Huerta Every one of us can fight for change. Let’s start a revolution with uncommon sense. We hope this book helps you take that leap forward in whatever work that you do. We invite you to borrow what you like, ignore what you don’t, and share your views on what could be added or improved. We want to spark conversations in different languages and cultures about how we can contribute to making the world just a little bit better. Let’s make a more collective, sustainable future inevitable. Previous Chapter Choose Your Path

Section 3 Navigation Chapter 10 Narrative is water Narratives are like water flowing through a system, shaping how people see the world and what they believe is possible.They are more powerful than facts alone and determine how messages are received. To create change, we must identify dominant and counter-narratives, understand how they are told and heard, and use framing strategies to shift worldviews. If we think of the system as layers of soil, then narrative (the lens through which we see the world) is the water that flows through it. We need to reach a person or institution before we can create messages that get them to help shift the system. We also need to understand that person or institution before we navigate toward them. Surprisingly, the first step to knowing an audience is to understand the narratives and deep narratives that shape and feed the system that they live within. “Narratives explain how society should work. Narratives use values to establish norms and compel people to either enforce these norms or to change these norms. Narratives shape reasoning and response, common sense and consensus. They shape and reshape the boundaries of what is possible.” Jen Soriano, Joseph Phelan, Kimberly Freeman Brown, Hermelinda Cortés, Jung Hee Choi, Creating an Ecosystem for Narrative Power Do not confuse the system narrative (what we all experience) with the values of those in power or those who can influence the powerful. We will focus on values in Chapter 14. “While the statement ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the surface holds a very clear and straightforward meaning, when tied to stories of police murders of unarmed Black people, these stories create a larger narrative of systematic and violent oppression of Black people in the U.S.” ReFrame report To explain how narratives work, we have used a water chart: Worldviews and narratives shift during a crisis. It is not one single story but multiple stories told by different people, the media, the social media, the government, the civil society, your family members, that confirm narratives or counter-narratives and shape our worldview. Narratives define how people believe and act. We can provide a lot of facts and information, but the narratives will ultimately shape how this information is understood and the path of change. For example, if you grew up with the narrative that hard work leads to success (like ‘the American Dream’) then this becomes common sense and you are going to work hard. It becomes difficult for you to step back from or dismantle that narrative, even with lots of facts and information that might disprove this belief. Framing: The choices we make in how to present ideas (consciously or unconsciously) that shape how people think, feel and act, usually geared towards long term shifts.’ We frame ideas using the following building blocks: Deep Narrative: The dominant mindset in a system that helps people and institutions within the system to understand the world. Like the 12 notes on a musical stave, it defines the limits of our understanding. Similar to the “Why” level of a system. Narrative: A big idea defined by people in power, to help us understand the world - like the bootstraps narrative of making your own success through hard work. A narrative shapes what we think, believe and do. Like music, it can be felt deeply. A narrative contains types of characters, plots, places - like the Hero’s Journey. Narratives are made up of stories. Similar to the “Who” level of a system. Stories: The widespread major access points for understanding - a specific account of events or ideas that we see, hear or experience together, reinforcing a narrative. A story contains particular characters, plots and places - like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars or a particular piece of music. Similar to the “Where” level of a system. Interactions: The exchanges and feedbacks of information which enables a narrative to flow and a system to function. Like when musicians interact with each other in “call and response.” Similar to the “How” level of a system. Message / Messaging: A piece of information, talking point, phrase or hashtag that suits the political moment, usually geared towards a short term attitude/behavior change. Like individual musical notes. Similar to the “What” level of a system. Now that we have identified the system (Section 1) and the relationships and deep loop that power it (Section 2), in this chapter we look at the narratives that maintain the system’s health. Learn how to reach and activate key audiences before thinking about tactics. The steps to take are these: Identify and deconstruct the main narratives and possible counter narratives in the system according to: Our own assumptions and possible biases: We are all a product of our cultures and upbringings. White supremacy is one example but there are many -isms that can influence our unconscious thinking and our very ability to spot bias. Story world: What is the setting, central plot and who are the key characters? This is the environment in which the narrative plays out. Employment by a multinational company to extract and export natural resources could be presented as a way out of poverty for young people. Every story has a villain. Who is it here? Story told: Who is telling the story? Why are we expected to trust this story or person? The identity of the storyteller influences how the narrative is received and understood. We might trust a community leader more than a President. Story heard: What are we led to believe? Who is winning, losing or being blamed? How can we intervene? There may be a story underneath the one we are being told. Might others understand this story differently from us, depending on their situation? What is the purpose of that story in this context? Map these narratives and the media that can support or block them using an ocean chart. Consider what role you need to play to support the new/counter narrative: create, counter, amplify, reframe or attach. For a narrative to become popular we must ensure different people retell the narrative in their own words and stories. CONCEPT How Populists Use Narratives Populists use crises to shift narratives. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, it was reported that the oil industry quickly moved to activate different people to tell stories that this would create a scarcity of resources which meant oil and petrol prices had to increase. Civil society organizations in general need to improve their narrative skills during crises although there are some examples of good work. See Chapter 19: Foresight is 20:20 for tips on how to plan in advance for crises and opportunities. In the figure below, Mindworks Lab in India shows how harmful narratives against religious minorities are constructed and amplified by different stories and messages across different institutions, and levels of the system. CONCEPT The Features of Narrative For every narrative there is a possible counter-narrative. See the example below of the dominant narratives and counter-narratives concerning the death penalty, immigration, and economic inequality. While these will vary depending on the country and society, there are common themes which appear. It is important to understand how these show up in our country in order to cultivate the right counter-narrative. The second diagram here shows the different aspects we need to consider when cultivating a counter-narrative. Example: Narrative power analysis - Story Told Source (both tables and adapted table) FrameWorks Institute. (2021). The Features of Narratives: A Model of Narrative Form for Social Change Efforts. FrameWorks Institute. Read more: Frameworks Institute MetGroup Mindworks Lab Narrative Initiative STORY Women Use Anlu for Social and Political Change, Cameroon In 1958, the women farmers of the Kom and Kedjom areas in the Western Grassfields of Cameroon faced several threats that they perceived as systematically undermining their power. These included the encroachment of Fulani cattle on their farmlands, the imposition of a new farming method (contour cultivation), and rumors that their land might be sold to Nigerian control by the Kamerun National Congress (KNC), a political party aligned with Nigeria. The women needed to counter these threats by challenging the existing power structures and narratives that sought to diminish their influence. They aimed to protect their land, assert their authority, and influence the political direction of their region in favor of the Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP), which opposed the KNC. Local women tapped into a traditional women's practise and network called anlu to organize a large-scale nonviolent resistance campaign to counter this narrative. The network was traditionally used to punish those who broke social norms - creating leverage at the Why and Who levels of the system. This network had leverage that Cameroonian men could not oppose. Campaign activities The anlu campaign took the following approach: Actions: 40 mile-march by thousands of women to converge on Njinikom, where they held weekly demonstrations, disrupted colonial meetings, and mocked colonial officials and local men in power. Symbolism: Women protesters dressed in symbolic clothing, such as rags, greenery, and men’s clothes, and carried branches to imitate guns, challenging traditional gender roles and claiming power typically reserved for men. Alliance: They aligned themselves with the KNDP political party, which were in opposition to the KNC. Nonviolent resistance: Protest disrobing, singing, taunting officials, and social disobedience. Challenges to system infrastructure (How level) and inputs and outputs (What level): lowering school attendance by 50-70% by pulling their children out of schools associated with the KNC party. Powerful new narrative: They created a parallel government, with their leaders taking on titles that mocked the British colonial system. To create this powerful new narrative, the women farmers built a popular and irresistible narrative to shift the power back to them: Narrative change approach Challenging Assumptions and Possible Bias: Women farmers recognized that the colonial authorities and local male leaders tended to operate under the biases of colonialism and patriarchy, seeing the women as lacking the authority or capability to challenge political and agricultural decisions. The women used their cultural knowledge, such as the power of anlu as a social enforcement mechanism, to counteract these assumptions. The women farmers’ actions also challenged the internalized biases within their community, asserting that women could not only participate in but lead political resistance. This campaign forced both the local men and the colonial powers to confront their own biases about gender and power. Story World Setting: The rural Western Grassfields of Cameroon, under the control of colonial powers and influenced by local patriarchal structures. The villains’ narrative promoted new agricultural practices and political control, while the women fought to maintain their way of life and power within their community. Central plot: The women farmers’ struggle to protect their land, autonomy, and traditional practices against external threats. Key characters: The women farmers of Kom and Kedjom (protagonists); The colonial authorities and local male leaders (antagonists); The KNDP political party was in a supporting role, in opposition to the colonial-aligned KNC. Story Told Storytellers: Mainly the women of the anlu movement. They are the narrators of their resistance, using actions, symbols, and traditions to communicate their story to both their community and the colonial powers. Frame: Empowerment, justice, and resistance against oppression. Trust: Is created because the story is rooted in the lived experiences and cultural knowledge of these women farmers, making it authentic and resonant with their community. Position: The anlu women use their position as community members and the guardians of social norms to lend credibility to their actions and their cause. Story Heard At first the colonial authorities and local male leaders may have seen the women’s resistance as a disruptive, irrational challenge to established order. But the underlying story that resonated with the public and increasingly understood by authorities was a story of righteous resistance to oppression, a call for justice, and a demand for respect and recognition of their rights. Within the women farmer community the story was heard as a powerful assertion of their agency and a challenge to both colonial and patriarchal authority. Success The women farmers’ anlu campaign was highly successful because it: Made the traditional government powerless to deal with the campaign. Sabotaged the efforts of non-supporters. Significantly disrupted the colonial administration. Their efforts also contributed to an electoral victory for the KNDP in 1959. Over the next few years, the government gradually met the movement’s demands. The anlu movement became an immense political force in the region, influencing Cameroon’s independence movement. Read more: https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/cameroonian-women-use-anlu-social-and-political-change-1958-1961 STORY Miniskirt March, Zimbabwe In Zimbabwe, one traditional view claims that women should not wear revealing clothes, or risk public harassment. But in December 2014, a video showed a woman in Harare being publicly harassed and stripped naked, causing public outrage. Women activists came together to challenge and change the cultural ideology that allowed public harassment of women and to create safe spaces for women. They did this by: Understanding the Power of Narrative Seizing the Moment: Activists knew the video of the men harassing and shaming the woman went viral nationally and globally, drawing attention and outrage. Creating a Counter Narrative: Activists decided to use this moment of “shame” to cultivate a counter-narrative that women have pride and power, pushing back against the cultural norms that claimed to justify harassment. Organizing Protests Miniskirt March: Katswe Sistahood, a women's rights group working on sexual and reproductive rights, organised a street march where 200 women wore miniskirts and tight-fitting clothes, shouting “We can dress as we please.” The march was publicized through grassroots organizations and word-of-mouth. Shocking the Establishment Gaining Attention: The march received mixed reactions from the public but was significant in raising awareness about women's rights and the need for safe spaces. Mass Street Action: Scores of women marched through Harare, openly defying the cultural norms and protesting against street harassment. Men among the elites were shamed into action. The government and police took action in response Justice: The men who harassed the woman in the video were arrested and faced charges. Influential support: The march gained the support of political leaders who advocated for women's freedom to dress as they please. Narrative Shift: The protest helped grow a counter narrative of pride and empowerment among women in society, countering the shaming fed by the more traditional view it opposed. Momentum: Women had transformed their collective strength and demanded their right to safety and freedom of expression. That said, the women’s movement did not always agree on the approaches taken to this challenge, which arguably may have reduced its impact. Gender inequality and the women’s movement continue their fight in Zimbabwe as they do around the world. Read more: https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/miniskirt-march TOOL Narrative Ripples In a group, examine your Soil Chart (Section 1), and Relationship Constellations and Deep Loop (Section 2). Individually, take 15 minutes to: Consider your own bias: We are all a product of our circumstances and upbringings. White supremacy is one example but there are many -isms that can influence our unconscious thinking and our very ability to spot bias. Write down the accepted, counter- and emergent narratives that are unfolding in the system. Write these down on Post-Its and place them on the chart to show how they are unfolding across the system. In a group, take 10 minutes to: Place on the chart the most used media platforms/channels where the main narrative is told; and those that might back your counter-narrative. Discuss how you can help the new/counter narrative, through these media channels using the five tactics mentioned earlier in the chapter: Create: Do you need to seed a new deep narrative, narrative or story? Counter: Do you need to deal with another harmful narrative before or at the same time as communicating your own? Amplify: Do others in the system need to be heard more widely? Reframe: Do you need to shift how people understand an existing story? Attach: Can you use a crisis or opportunity to promote your alternative narrative? For more on how to deal with a crisis or opportunity, see Section 4: Storms . Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Section 5 Energy Chapter 24 Seeds are fruit This section urges campaigners to adopt long-term and long-time thinking—looking beyond immediate goals to consider how today’s actions will shape the world for future generations. Drawing from Indigenous “seven generations” philosophy, it highlights the need for visions (Guiding Stars) and practical steps (Near Stars) that ensure sustained impact. Jump forward and backward in time to ensure you’re acting for the long term. Many Indigenous communities across North America use “seven generations thinking” to make decisions. They think about how their actions today will affect the next seven generations of people. “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Iroquois Proverb Focusing only on the short term is a big problem not just in capitalist systems but also in the efficacy of campaigning. For example, the campaign to end the slave trade took decades, and some forms of slavery still exist today. The Chinese government has a 100 year plan. But many organizations, coalitions, and leaders only plan for three or four years, and some make long-term plans without clear steps to achieve them. “To use an agricultural metaphor, the current system [of movements attempting to build narrative power for justice] is focused on generating and cascading seeds of knowledge, but overlooking the soil where it is hoped that this will flourish.” Global Narrative Hiv e So, we come to the third question of reflection: “What now?” Once we understand how the system is changing (Chapter 20), and who and what is contributing to that change (Chapter 21), how do we plan our next steps to reach our Guiding Star and Near Star (Section 2)? We need to consider both: Long-termism: Predicting and planning for the future based on rapid and sustained developments Long-timism: Cultivating an attitude of care for the world beyond our lifetimes** It is important to consider what will be needed in seven generations from now. How many people, how much money, and how much effort will it take to change the system over this period? How can we keep the energy and commitment in our community to continue pushing for change? How can we inspire future activists and campaigners to keep the pressure on? “We can’t build what we can’t imagine, so it is imperative for us to create spaces that allow us to infinitely stretch our understanding of what’s possible.” Walidah Imarisha As with all the tools we propose, you will get better results by doing this in community with people you work with and for, and outside with the element of this chapter. There are three stages to this process: Immerse ourselves - Imagine the people we care about and how the world changes for them, in the past and future. See the forest for the trees - Consider the long-term and short-term impacts across the system. Draw out new paths - Put ourselves in the others’ shoes to find ways to a better world. Footnote: **We have borrowed the methods here from a Long Time Project practice created by Ella Saltmarshe and Hannah Smith. For more on long-time thinking see their toolkit here: https://www.thelongtimeproject.org/s/Long-Time-Project_Long-Time-Tools.pdf TOOL Human Layers Step 1: As a group, stand in a large circle 12 feet across, in a room or outside in a good amount of space. Close your eyes and feel your feet on the ground. Breathe deeply. Step 2: Think of someone you love or admire of your grandparents’ age. Focus on what it is in them that evokes warmth in you. It could be their smile, something that made them laugh, their hands, anything. Step 3: Take one step behind where you are and imagine being with that person 40 years in the past. How is that same quality that evoked warmth in you? Step 4: Take another step back and imagine being with that person another 30 years in the past, at their ninth birthday party. Where are you? Take a look out the window - what is it like? How are people behaving? Step 5: Now return to the spot you started in and imagine a small person (child, grandchild, niece) who you love or admire, and focus on what it is that evokes warmth in you. Step 6: Step forward one step and imagine being with that person 40 years in the future. Step 7: Step forward one step again and imagine you are at their 90th birthday party. The guests toast you. What are they choosing to toast you for? Step 8: Step back to the place you started in and take two deep breaths, opening your eyes again. You’ve just time traveled almost 200 years. Share with the group how you feel. What’s coming up for you? TOOL Changing Spectacles Step 1: Go back to your fire chart from Chapter 20. Take 2 sets of Post-Its, each in a different color. Ask the group to write down on the different colors, and place on the chart both positive and negative examples of: Long-termism in the system Norms, relationships, narratives, processes and outputs that are driving short term results Step 2: As a group, discuss how the most critical changes to the system are connected to long-termism and short-termism, and to different stakeholders and efforts that you and others you’ve consulted, have identified. Could you focus your efforts on strengthening or weakening those efforts with the greatest long-term effects? Step 3: Return to your overall plan. What changes might you make to your Guiding Star, Near Star, or to your targeting in order to have these greater long-term effects? TOOL Future Ripples Part 1: Go back to your fire chart. In your group, allocate to individuals in your group key stakeholder relationships (not individuals) in the system. These could be human or non-human, e.g. a river with connected ecosystems / a child and their mother in an affected community, the President and the World Bank. Part 2: Ask them to consider the implications of your updated plans in terms of: Time: What might their needs be in 5, 20, 50 years time? How might your campaign affect them? Assumptions: What assumptions about these stakeholders are we making in our plan? Why might these stakeholders question them? Practicalities: What constructs do the stakeholders need to know in order to do what we want them to do? How might this stakeholder themselves approach this differently? Part 3: What longtime changes in focus do you need to make to your plan to future proof it? Think of these areas: Guiding Star and Near Star Critical relationships and deep loop Target audiences, narrative and activities Prevention of and preparation for storms Previous Chapter Next Chapter