Trust is the most crucial element for change. Here were my key takeaways from Holding Change, in my own words, combined with some of my own lessons learned in my years of facilitating groups. Some of the concepts and practices in my book were things that I was doing (either intentionally or unintentionally), but many of them made explicit what I already knew to be true (in my facilitator bones). I know I’ve said it already, but reading this book has truly started to transform the way I show up as a facilitator. Thoughts, principles, and tactics for facilitating and mediating, utilizing concepts of emergent strategy. Writings from Black feminist leaders (facilitators themselves) who have inspired amb’s work and Understand group culture, efficiency, and effectiveness,Įxplore your own facilitation approach, andĮngage in learning with co-facilitators about their approach to facilitation and how they show up It’s organized into a few key sections:Īssessments (be still, my evaluator heart!) to: Both Emergent Strategy and Holding Change pushed me outside of what I thought I knew about building community, facilitating groups, and working for systemic changes towards justice, but Holding Change in particular has more to say about specific, tangible practices for those of us in facilitation roles. If you’re someone who works in Collective Impact or other collaborative spaces, I believe these texts should be required reading. Holding Change is part of adrienne maree brown’s Emergent Strategy Series, and is a practical application of the concepts articulated in Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds.

These spaces require us to be not only skilled facilitators but also constant learners and scholars of the ways in which systems change can actually be brought about. We do this in a number of spaces, from early childhood to homelessness to workforce development, and in every situation, we’re challenged by the complexity of the systems, the scope of the challenges, and the nuances of the relationships of the people in the room.

I’ve not only begun to incorporate its principles into my own facilitation practice, I’m also actively proselytizing about it to anyone I know who facilitates meetings.Īt Elevate, we have the pleasure of working with many different groups working toward changing the systemic conditions that are creating and reinforcing marginalization and injustice. But adrienne maree brown’s Holding Change: The Way of Emergent Strategy Facilitation and Mediation has stopped me in my tracks a bit. I usually find myself skimming these texts, or skipping straight to the tools/practices the authors offer, without needing to spend time rooting myself in the author’s approach. I read a lot of books about facilitation - I’m clearly a lot of fun at parties! Lots of times, these books say some variation of the same set of principles and guidelines.

Adrienne maree brown holding change