I learned when I first started exploring system theory that systems were the one place where 1+1=3… In addition to each of the parties in a 2 person conversation there is a 3rd entity which is the voice of the system… That system voice has a life and an energy of its own – and it knows what the system needs. The hard part is that the voice of the system is frequently lost in the clamour of individual and group voices, competing priorities and the overall busyness of the people within the system.
However the voice of the system is a critical voice to hear and understand – it can be a powerful tool to help to keep the system on track, focused and productive… So how do we find and hear that system voice?
The hands on aspect of the session involved Carole showing us a very practical and effective strategy for bringing out the voice of the 3rd entity. One of the participants volunteered to share a ‘hot spot’ in a relationship as a way of demonstrating the 3rd entity. Carole invited her to physically stand on each of tthe three corners of the triangle and assume the identity assigned to each corner. Corner 1 = the volunteer, Corner 2 – the other person in the conflict, Corner 3 = the 3rd entity – the voice of the relationship or the system. In each instance she became the person the corner represented… In the “Relationship corner” what emerges was the voice of the relationship which in this case was the system voice. This is a powerful way of inviting an individual or group to move out of their own story of what is going on – and explore what is going on for the other party and the system. Insights and connections occur when we can get out of our own head and learn more about what is going on for others – it helps to put things in perspective and it can assist us to know what steps need to happen in order to move things forward.
However a whole organization cannot stand on 3 corners of a triangle… so in the 2nd exercise Carole invited us to create a similar opportunity for a larger group to hear the voice of the system. Her practical, down to earth and easy to use model for expanding more traditional organizational dialogue to include the voice of the 3rd entity has the potential to build capacity within teams to engage with the system voice in their organization… And that has the potential to change the nature of the dialogue and the dynamics in the system. Thank you Carole for a practical, useful tool…
Ruth Sirman
CanMediate International
