Making Sense of a Complex World
We live in difficult times. On the global stage, unprecedented shifts in climate and loss of biodiversity; a growing disparity between the rich and poor; the threat of regional wars spiralling out of control; technological advancements moving faster than social change; the rise of populism on the left and right. These are just some of the narratives in what’s being called the Polycrises or Metacrises
Locally, these narratives are playing out in our daily lives and affecting the day-to day-decisions we make. Rises in the cost of living make budgeting difficult; kids are demanding the newest smart-phone and gaming console; people need new homes but not at the cost of wildlife and good agricultural land; can I still be liberal and want to limit migration?
The complexity of the problems facing us globally and locally mean they often aren’t problems at all, with traditional solutions; rather they are patterns to understand and manage in the best way our communities can at any given time.
Taking action in a Complex World
We have come to believe that successful action to tackle problems requires a strong leader setting firm strategic goals and performance targets to a hard-working workforce. In some instances, this model still holds true. Developments in the science and practice of organisational management coupled with the related disciplines of systems thinking and complexity have revealed that in many cases strategic goals and problem-solution mindsets don’t work and can make the problem worse. This is especially true of the complex social problems which are at the heart of the polycrises.
Working with Complexity through Narratives
“What am I to do?’ if I can answer the prior question ‘Of what story or stories do I find myself a part?”
― Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory
Making sense of these complex stories requires an understanding of the narratives that we all use to make sense of our lives, individually and collectively, and making decisions together about when and how to act.
I work with a mixture of narrative and complexity tools I learned first from my mentor Ron Donaldson and through him the work of David Snowden (Cynefin Framework, Sensemaker, Estuarine Mapping) and Cynthia Kurtz (Participatory Narrative Inquiry). More recently I have trained with Chris Corrigan and Caitlin Frost of Harvest Moon Consultant’s (Complexity Inside Out) and Nora Bateson (Warm Data).
Please get in touch if you would be interested in working with me particularly in:
- Narrative ecology/ Participatory Narrative Inquiry
- Complex Facilitation
- Warm Data/People Need People Hosting
- Partnership and Stakeholder Work (Collaboration and Facilitation)
Over my career I have worked with a number of organisations using Narrative Ecology facilitation techniques to create visions and action plans. During previous work in the UK from 2014-2018 I managed multi-stakeholder Catchment Partnerships where my facilitation skills were developed.
- Food Systems Round Table of Waterloo Region (Canada 2023-2024)
- This report contains three facilitated workshops including a PNI for the FSRTWR Board Members Sensemaking Retreat
- Resilient Inglewood -ORIAS/ VIllage of Inglewood Association (Canada 2022)
- Resilient Palgrave Project ORIAS/Palgrave Rotary PNI and Stakeholder Mapping (Canada 2021)
- Friends of The Dingle Schoolhouse PNI Visioning (Canada 2020-2021)
- Mount Wolfe Farm Barn Vision Visioning PNI (Canada January 2020)
- Hedgecourt Lake Stakeholder Meeting PNI (UK March 2016)
- Rye Brook Love Your River Workshop Ketso method(UK 2014)
Social and Ecological Sustainability Research
I am a part-time PhD Candidate in Social and Ecological Sustainability at the University of Waterloo with Professor Stephen Quilley. I work on the theme of Narratives and Storytelling for post-growth Livelihoods and Sustainability. I also currently run the Hedgelaying in the Ontario Landscape Project and Ontario Rural Skills Network for the Waterloo Institute of Social Innovation and Resilience.
Citizen-science projects
CC Projects I have designed, successfully applied for funding, and managed.
- Hedgerow Heroes (Surrey Wildlife Trust 2017-ongoing)
- RiverSearch (Surrey Wildlife Trust 2012-ongoing and Kent Wildlife Trust Riversearch)
- Hedgerows for Dormice 2009-11 (Peoples Trust for Endangered Species)
CVs
James T Jones 