We are living through extremely complex times in which systems, organizations, power dynamics, economies, societies and human well-being are in a state of flux and great change. Old ways of working and old structures are being challenged and are decaying, while new structures and ways of working are evolving.
The space between the “old” and the “being borne” we are calling liminal times[1]. And in these times, MLG believes we must collectively co-create sustainable, positive futures for individuals, organizations and their employees, families and communities, our global society, and the Earth.
In this Blog, we will share insights with our followers in the areas where MLG works to support organizations and individuals. Also, we will offer tools, techniques and resources that we believe are valuable because they have been crafted with care and are particularly beneficial in liminal times. We believe they will help empower organizations and individuals to adapt, transform, and be creative in these complex times.
MLG’s areas of work are: Adaptive Leadership, Transformation & Change, and Diversity & Inclusion. Our next Blog will be on Leadership in Liminal Times. Past definitions of leadership describe the “what and “how” of leadership[2], and continue to have value in certain situations. However, these styles must be integrated with the “state of being” of leadership and be collectively exercised by all roles or levels within an organization, community or family, and by individuals. We describe this as Adaptive Leadership—leadership in liminal times.
MLG’s “Spoiler Alert”: We do not believe in reinventing the wheel. What we will share with you will be tools, resources, etc. developed by organizations or individuals for whom we have great respect or with whom we may have affiliated. In our opinion, they represent the best available “evidence-based” resources for these times, and we utilize these resources in our work.
See you in a few weeks!
Barbara at The MiraLite Group
[1] The idea of liminality was first introduced in the field of anthropology in 1909 by Arnold Van Gennel in Les Rise de Passage. Rites of passage included coming of age rituals and including three phases—separation, liminal period, and re-assimilation. In second half of the 20th century, Victor Turner further described liminality in his work Liminality and Communitas by saying in liminal periods individuals are “neither here nor there; they are betwixt and between the positions assigned and arrayed by law, custom, convention….” And he describes this betwixt and between period as giving rise to the “realm of pure possibility”. See http://www.liminality.org/about/whatisliminality.