The Storytelling and Complexity Conference in New Mexico
What is the link between storytelling and complexity?
This was the theme that found me travelling over 28 hours from Melbourne, Australia to Las Cruces, New Mexico to join with 38 other participants in the story circle. It was a fantastic conference. One of the highlights for me was the socratic circle process which opened up on the 2nd day of the conference. This I will definitely be sharing more about, after I’ve gotten over my jetlag. But for now, I thought I’d just share some elements which emerged for me during the conference.
During the socratic circle process, participants were asked to consider “what is complexity”. Some of the metaphors that appeared were:
Complexity is incompressible
Complexity is a methodology
Complexity is a language
Complexity is a theology
When asked in the socratic circle to define “what is story”, I really loved one participants response. She said “I have heard people say there is no story only storytelling, but I don’t agree with that. If I had a definition of story I’d be wrong”.
So, what is the link between storytelling and complexity?
I think one of the best answers came in the form of a question proposed by Theodore Taptiklis. He asked “Like storytelling, does complexity help us understand that “paradox” doesn’t need to be resolved?”.
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Hi there,
It’s Irina here. Although my interest in narratives comes from a linguistic perspective, I have been reading your website with great interest and find it extraordinary that you stimulate organizations to become more aware of their storytelling potential & practices.
What’s seems to me very important is that this processs allows narrativity to find its way into societal recognition in other forms than aesthetics or ludic activity. In other words, to be taken more seriously …
Despite the novelty of your perspective, narrativization is definitely not a new tool for building, maintaining and perpetuating institutional infrastructure.
I was just curious to know whether in your practice you have come across any form of resistance to what might be called “democratization process” ?
Thank you in advance,
Irina
Hi Irina,
Thanks so much for your post.
Before I answer, I thought I’d ask you for a little more context around what you mean by “democratization process” ?
Warm regards,
Andrew
Of course, with pleasure. My comment arose from my past experience in a workplace where I did my PhD.
I noticed that different members of the staff had different roles in weaving our group narrative.
Those with longer experience in the department took on the role of the narrator, thus explicitely construing the “we” identity and sometimes using its grammatical expression (pronoun ‘we’) as a means of consolidating their personal stance.
It was a very subtle interplay of different strands of meaning and in no way a voluntary act of *hijacking* the role of the “we” narrator.
Yet, I thought that people who, for different reasons, hold in their hands the narrator’s power would somehow resist the change which can be brought about by becoming more aware of the narrative fabric of a workplace and by encouraging a wider participation from the staff in its creation.
Hope that clears it up,
Best wishes,
Irina
Hi Andrew! Nice to see you made it home safely. It was great meeting you in New Mexico.
Hi Dawn,
Thank you!
I enjoyed meeting you at the conference too. Time also flies huh.
So, what were the take aways for you?
Warm regards,
Andrew
Hi Irina,
Your research sounds fascinating. Not to mention the level of depth you have obviously reached in your narrative inquiries.
Regarding your question, in our practice I have often seen/heard senior members of an organisation participate in anecdote circles in a quiet thoughtful yet listening manner. Interestingly however, often when they speak, with so much experience in the organisation, they speak in a way which gains respect from the group.
I wonder whether this ‘respect gained from the group’ is what you are thinking provides some kind of resistence?
In anecdote circles, we very much aim towards creating an open space where every individual’s voice is valued and heard, no matter their seniority. That being said, one lesson we have learnt is the importance of keeping peers together in running anecdote circles.
Warm regards,
Andrew
I think my experience may have been different from other people’s, based on some conversations I had. The highlight for me was really Friday afternoon, when I had some excellent discussions of Bakhtin and Stacey, and the role of power in both narrative and complex systems.
I was also struck by the irreducible nature of both complexity and story, not just in fact and form, but even in terms of definition: to fully define either would require volumes, and still be inadequate. I think one reason so many of us feel them intuitively to be connected has to do with this incompressible quality they share, that they can both be used to contain layers of meaning that we can’t specifically identify or define, but that contribute nonetheless to the character and shape of the whole.
Most importantly, I met a lot of terrific people. That was the best part of all.
My heart goes out to you Andrew for having to travel the world in the name of work. All the way to New Mexico of all places. Be consoled by the fact I had a few Coronas (the closest I’ll get to New Mexico) for you in sympathy over the break.
Thanks Frank. You’re right. It was tough.
I almost committed a cardinal sin too. Leaving New Mexico without having tasted a Margherita. Of course, I did say “almost”. I managed to slip one in, at the airport. 🙂
Cheers,
Andrew
Looking forward to more updates, it sounds fascinating, both discoveries and process. Thanks, Andrew, for sharing.