210. Karoline Bottheim: Multi-stakeholder processes, certainty, moving complex topics, feelings as guides and the Bible
Karonline Bottheim (LinkedIn) founder of Länka Consulting visited the podcast and we had a wonderful weaving around leading complex processes, certainty, communication, moving in the groan zone, trusting your feelings as portals for deeper explorations, learning and much more. This is s deepdive for those curious about complexity facilitation and what it means to shift and manouver in multi-stakeholder processes. And then we talk about the bible. As two fellow curious that just made our way through it, one in a more rigorous fashion, and it's implications for our current moment. Enjoy!
Social media post:
"Be aware of the temptation of certainty" - Varela / Maturana
Karoline Bottheim came by the World of Wisdom 🎙 Podcast. That statement seemed to be the theme where we could weave together the topic of facilitating complex multi stakeholder processes and the bible (!).
This was a rich conversation, especially for those curious about Karolines area of expertise (multi stakeholder collaboration). Here are some highlights:
😤 "Behind every frustrated person there lies a dream, and the dream came first" Beware of changes in energy! Don't let a good tension go to waste. Then talking and meeting isn't just talking but actually doing the work.
👥 Samverkan - "together effecting" (rather than collaboration) is what needs to be happening in a complex process. Multi-stakeholder processes hold a lot of that: we are on a journey to discovering a whole that none of us can currently see so the we can effect it together.
💨 "How can we believe at this point in history that we don't have to struggle with the question of 'what it's all about' right now? That is sort of an ignorant position." We got to that question by talking about the bible, but that is probably an equally important inquiry to carry into multi stakeholder collaborations.
And then there is the quote that started this post... Both beware (⚠) and be aware (‼) of the certainty. What are you certain of? Can you be absolutely sure that it's true?
(If you want to listen to the full conversation visit the World of Wisdom 🎙 Podcast in your Podcast app EP210. Enjoy!)
AI Summary
Summary
Karoline Bottheim discusses the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and co-creation in addressing complex issues. She emphasizes the need for curiosity and openness in collaboration processes, as well as the temptation of certainty. Karoline highlights the role of listening and understanding different perspectives in collaboration, and the importance of embracing friction and discomfort. She also explores the concept of 'samverkan' in Swedish, which refers to acting together and creating an effect. Karoline emphasizes the need to assess the health of a collaboration process and the importance of driving forces in sustaining collaboration. In this conversation, Amit and Karoline discuss the importance of shifting roles and perspectives in order to embrace complexity and create meaningful collaborations. They explore the need to slow down and create space for deep discussions, as well as the value of embracing multiple identities and perspectives. They also delve into the significance of the Bible and the existence of God, and how faith and openness can contribute to the process of navigating complex issues. The conversation highlights the tension between certainty and uncertainty, and the importance of rituals and living a morally good life. Finally, they discuss the competence and skill of collaboration and provide information about Lanka Consulting.
Takeaways
Curiosity and openness are essential in collaboration processes.
Embracing uncertainty and letting go of the need for certainty is crucial in collaboration.
Listening and understanding different perspectives is key to successful collaboration.
Friction and discomfort can be valuable in collaboration processes.
Assessing the health of a collaboration process requires active engagement and understanding of driving forces. Shifting roles and perspectives is essential for embracing complexity and creating meaningful collaborations.
Slowing down and creating space for deep discussions is crucial in navigating complex issues.
Embracing multiple identities and perspectives allows for a more holistic and inclusive approach to problem-solving.
Faith and openness can contribute to the process of navigating complex issues and embracing uncertainty.
Rituals and living a morally good life can provide guidance and support in navigating complex processes.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:02 Who is Karoline Bottheim?
03:18 Exploring Collaboration Practices
06:31 The Importance of Curiosity
08:03 Simplicity and Complexity in Facilitation
10:02 Embracing Uncertainty in Collaboration
12:26 The Temptation of Certainty
14:19 The Power of Listening in Collaboration
19:05 Navigating Tensions in Collaboration Processes
22:20 The Swedish Concept of 'Samverkan'
24:08 The Act of Communication in Collaboration
26:00 The Relationship Between Self and Other
29:40 Assessing the Health of a Collaboration Process
32:50 When to Stop Trusting the Process
37:25 The Importance of Friction in Collaboration
41:45 The Role of Driving Forces in Collaboration
43:05 Widening the Scope of Collaboration
45:24 Embracing Friction in Collaboration
46:38 The Shift in Roles and Perspectives
47:41 The Need to Slow Down and Embrace Complexity
49:08 Creating Space for Deep Discussions
52:23 Embracing Multiple Identities and Perspectives
53:39 The Bible and the Existence of God
55:12 The Attitude of Faith and Openness
56:04 The Complexity and Multi-dimensionality of the Bible
57:11 The Tension Between Certainty and Uncertainty
58:28 The Importance of Rituals and Living a Morally Good Life
01:05:09 Navigating Complex Processes and Making Choices
01:13:43 The Competence and Skill of Collaboration
01:19:27 Finding More Information about Lanka Consulting