Report on the Liminal Edge Lab : An Experimental Leadership Lab for Higher Education Students
Co-creators: Archana Bhange, Bhavani Ramamoorthi and Preeti Kumari
Content
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Context
• Purpose
• Approach Or Methodology/Methods
• Actual Or Anticipated Outcomes
•Conclusions/Recommendations/Summary
KEYWORDS: Presencing, Theory U, leadership, mindfulness.
Abstract
u-lab 2x is about prototyping the future that explores Theory U—a transformative framework for systemic change developed by MIT action researchers and practiced in various settings, nurturing leadership, and collective capacity building in unique ways. Theory U integrates interactive and relational practices, emphasizing dialogue and inquiry. Our experiential learning journey was made possible by the Presencing Institute through the U-Lab 2x 2024 program, named "The Liminal Edge," a visionary leadership lab for emerging leaders, particularly university students, as part of our U Lab 2024 2x project. Envisioned as a space of possibilities and co-creation, our endeavor stems from a commitment to offer a different kind of learning experience embedded in leadership, especially relevant in today's world. Tools such as Storytelling, Stakeholder interviews, 3D mapping, and the SPT stuck exercise were explored in our work on developing The Liminal Edge curriculum and lab space are ongoing, aiming for a generative and radical learning environment. As the idea of the Liminal Edge lab evolved, we witnessed profound self-leadership and U-journey experiences among the participants, each navigating an emerging future supported by the collective wisdom of the circle.
Introduction
The current uncertainties and complexity in the world require an urgency on developing a curriculum and student experience that not only prepares the learners for these complexities but also enables them to thrive and nourish the ecosystems that they are part of (Barnett, 2012). To be able to foster these self-leadership capacities among learners while also fostering a sense of connection to others and a sense of belonging, it becomes critical to rely on collaborative, inclusive, and transformative learning experiences, which is currently lacking in the educational systems (Rodriguez Carreon and Carrillo, 2021). There is a need for establishing pathways that allow for more holistic and embodied experiences of transformative learning (Ojha, 2020; Perry, 2021). Theory U offers us a compelling framework for enabling a transformative learning process that entails a shift in consciousness from ego to eco-awareness through relational, dialogical, and embodied ways of knowing (Scharmer, 2018). To illustrate how Theory U can provide a framework for a transformative learning experience, the authors of this paper participated in a U Lab 2x 2024 program and decided to develop a U lab experience for university students as emerging leaders. This was envisioned as an experimental and co-creational space for students while bringing in perspectives from other actors in the higher education space. u.lab emphasizes the development of relational skills, particularly the importance of a deep and empathic listening that can allow for a relational flow and a generative dialogue to emerge (Scharmer, 2018). These relational abilities are strengthened through individual and collective inquiry and sensing practices that help build collective capacities within u.lab. To nurture these collective capacities, there is a need to create safe spaces that include practices such as being intentional towards a shared purpose and attention and deep listening from the facilitator and the participants (Scharmer, 2018). Theory U's systems approach views individual transformation as inherently connected to collective change and broader social transformation (Scharmer & Pomeroy, 2019).
U lab 2x 2024
U-LAB 2x is a journey under U-School for transformations offered by the Presencing Institute designed for teams to foster deep innovation (Presencing Institute, 2023). Through the course, teams are guided to apply the tools and methods of Theory U to grow a prototype idea. By engaging in this process, the team gains profound insights into their prototype and learns to harness the power of collaborative exploration and action while learning alongside hundreds of other teams around the world. The resources and facilitation support are provided through an online platform, and the spaces for dialogue with peers to understand the deeper forces at play in social systems that can either be obstacles or leverage points for change and identify emerging future possibilities for the project and prototype new ways of working together in multi-stakeholder settings.
Part of the u-school for transformation's mission is to offer a new narrative for profound evolutionary change in society and a methodology for realizing that narrative. The aim is to explore questions such as "What does it take to redesign societies in ways that address the pressing challenges of our time?" How do we harness the power of awareness to the regeneration of systems and society? Leading from the Emerging Future and The Essentials of Theory U outline a framework for updating the “operating systems" of our educational institutions, our economies, and our democracies, and a process for applying the core concepts of Theory U to the transformation of society at large. We believe true leadership today is the capacity to facilitate mindset shifts, relational shifts, and action shifts in multi-stakeholder groups, moving from a narrow understanding based on self-interest (ego-systemic) to one where decisions are made from an awareness of the well-being of the whole system (eco-systemic). We call this capacity "ecosystem leadership." The U-Lab 2x journey aims to build this type of leadership capacity at scale, across multiple sectors and geographies. Ultimately, the aim and intention are to activate a global ecosystem of innovation that works to ensure well-being for all.
Implementing the Liminal Edge project involved collaboration with a diverse team of stakeholders, both visible and invisible within the higher education ecosystem. These included mainly university students from India, the USA, and Finland. The stakeholder community also included university professors, leadership trainers in higher education, and business owners that employ fresh graduates to bring in fresh perspectives on understanding the higher education landscape and what collective capacities we must co-create as an ecosystem.
We fostered a culture of storytelling and mindfulness, engaging in generative dialogue to co-create a meaningful learning community. We used grounding practices by incorporating mindfulness techniques to cultivate presence and self-awareness and generative listening and dialogues for creating spaces for deep listening and meaningful dialogue to foster collaboration and understanding and experience of inclusion and exclusion, leading to understanding dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in workspaces to build more inclusive communities.
Theory U effectively integrates interactive and relational practices, prioritizing dialogue and collective inquiry. The embarkment on a transformative experiential learning journey, made possible by the Presencing Institute through the U-Lab 2x 2024 program, led to the idea of "The Liminal Edge." This visionary leadership lab is specifically designed for emerging leaders, especially university students, as a crucial component of the U-Lab 2024 2x project. The Liminal Edge project has been established as a dynamic space where participants collaborate to redefine their roles in higher education based on the collective learning in the lab. The project aims to illuminate new possibilities as the participants experience working towards a collective desired future, co-sensing and co-shaping as a relational web of interconnected stories, firmly committed to delivering an exceptional learning experience centered on leadership—one that is urgently needed in today's world.
As the concept of the Liminal Edge lab evolved, a remarkable shift was witnessed among participants with growing instances of self-leadership and U-journey experiences among participants, each confidently navigating an emerging future bolstered by the collective wisdom of the group. Powerful tools were actively utilized, such as storytelling, stakeholder interviews, 3D mapping, and the Social Presencing Theatre (SPT) stuck exercise in the efforts to construct The Liminal Edge curriculum. The development of the lab space is ongoing, with a clear objective: to cultivate a truly generative learning environment.
Context
The four-month journey was both unique and challenging as the team embraced the uncertainty of "We don't know how to do this," trusting the process and the collective knowledge. Each session unfolded new insights into what the lab could be, shaping the vision and purpose. The tone was set for a journey that was about to unfold by providing a safe space for risk-taking in an atmosphere that supports growth and learning by asking the following core question: • How can the team offer tools and resources that enable university students to find clarity through chaos and complexity? • How can the liminal edge be a space for students to experience co-creation and the strength of collective consciousness / awareness? • How can the liminal edge be a space for emerging leaders to explore the path of self-leadership that will help them work more efficiently with the collective? • How do the team enable emerging leaders to create a cognitive shift from “me” to “we”
The main areas of focus are outlined here, but the work on developing The Liminal Edge curriculum and lab space is ongoing, aiming for a generative learning environment. Members were allowed to share with the team what resonates with them about this learning space and bring a collaborative spirit to shape its future together!
The team developed a set of key areas to focus on to build the kind of leadership lab where university students learn to be self-responsible, ecosystem-aware, servant leaders, and confident individuals out in today’s rigorous world. The key areas of focus are:
❖ Grounding Practices: Incorporating mindfulness techniques to cultivate presence and self-awareness.
❖ Curiosity as a Leadership Skill: Fostering a mindset of curiosity to drive innovation and problem-solving.
❖ Generative Listening and Dialogues: Creating spaces for deep listening and meaningful dialogue to foster collaboration and understanding.
❖ Designing Powerful Questions: Crafting questions that provoke reflection, insight, and action.
❖ Alignment of People, Policies, and Processes: Ensuring coherence and synergy among organizational elements to support shared goals.
❖ Sources of Power: Exploring different sources of power and developing power intelligence through Social Presencing Theatre (SPT).
❖ Story Circles as Communal Practice: Utilizing storytelling as a tool for connection, empathy, and collective sense-making.
❖ Feedback for Collective Growth: Implementing feedback mechanisms that contribute to individual and organizational development.
❖ Experience of Inclusion and Exclusion: Understanding dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in workspaces to build more inclusive communities.
To address the above-mentioned focus areas, the team explored the following tools:
● Storytelling: Sharing personal narratives to foster empathy and understanding.
● Stakeholder Interviews: Engaging with key stakeholders to gather insights and perspectives.
● 3-D Mapping: Visualizing complex systems and relationships to gain clarity and insight.
● SPT Stuck Exercise: Using Social Presencing theater techniques to embody and explore systemic challenges. ● Journaling: Reflecting on experiences and insights through written expression.
● Sensing Journeys: Engaging in experiential exercises to deepen awareness and understanding.
● Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness techniques to cultivate presence and self-regulation.
Approach Or Methodology/Methods
The approach outlined incorporates human stories, leadership storytelling, generative listening, and 3D mapping. The scope is holistic and effective in fostering a deep understanding and connection among participants. Here is a breakdown of the key components:
Sensing the Ecosystem: Utilizing the power of human stories:
Sharing personal experiences and narratives can help participants understand the current state of the university, its strengths, challenges, and opportunities.
Leadership storytelling: This involves leaders sharing their vision for the future, providing context, and inspiring the team towards a shared goal.
Envisioning an Emerging Future:
Building on the stories and leadership narratives, participants can collectively envision the future they want to create for the university.
Aligning with strengths: Connecting team members with their strengths can contribute to a more effective and cohesive team dynamic.
Generative Listening Workshop:
Exploring the art of listening: Teaching and practicing generative listening can enhance communication and understanding among team members, fostering a culture of open dialogue and collaboration
3D Mapping using the Theory U Framework:
Visualizing the system: 3D mapping provides a tangible representation of the university's ecosystem, allowing participants to see the interconnectedness of different elements.
Identifying roles in co-creating the future: The mapping exercise can help participants recognize their roles and contributions to the overall vision, promoting a sense of ownership and responsibility.
The first step towards building the Liminal Edge: An Experiential Leadership Lab was to perform container building and develop sensing journeys. For this step three consecutive meetings were scheduled with the following intent.
First Meeting:
Workshop on stories and leadership
• Harvest themes of leadership based on people’s life stories and experiences.
• Word Mapping and theme mapping: As a core team post-session (core team meeting after this session) • Visual Harvest: Build scenarios with the items available on the spot. • Visual Resonance from the extended team through Padlet or a digital tool
Second Meeting:
3D mapping online and harvesting the learning
Third Meeting:
Decide based on the first two meetings jointly as a core team.
Capacity Building:
Container building is the process of creating a safe space for a group or a team by establishing both trust and ground rules for engagement. A container in this context is defined by the boundaries of a social field and incorporates three qualities: open mind (seeing), open heart (feeling), and open will (intention). A container sets the tone for a journey that is about to unfold by providing a safe space for risk-taking in an atmosphere that supports growth and learning.
Application
Container building is done at the beginning of a social process (in person or remote) and establishes a foundation for a group. By creating a container, facilitators improve how participants pay attention, interact, and collaborate. Challenging situations and deep change especially require this work.
Principles
• Be clear about roles and steps.
• Listen with an open mind, heart, and will.
• Suspend your voice of judgment to activate the creative power of the open mind.
• Respect the voice and opinions of others, even if they are different from your own.
• Pay attention to those on the margins of the social field.
• Consider the boundaries of the container and agreements made between the people.
A word cloud was created to bring the participants’ attention towards the process, followed by a set of questionnaires posted on the Padleta application, and at last, a visual harvest was created by all the participating members.
Visual harvesting, also referred to as graphic recording or visual harvest, is a technique used in Theory U, developed by the Presencing Institute. This practice captures and represents key insights and ideas from meetings, workshops, and conversations in a visual format. It involves creating drawings, diagrams, and other visual elements to illustrate the core essence of the discussion, making the content more engaging, memorable, and accessible.
The next step is stakeholder interviews, also called a sensing journey. Stakeholder interviews, as outlined by the Presencing Institute, are an essential tool in Theory U for understanding diverse perspectives and gaining insights into a system. Conducted with individuals who are affected by or influential in a project, these interviews allow practitioners to “step into the shoes” of stakeholders and view their work from their perspectives. This process enhances clarity, identifies barriers, and fosters deeper relationships.
The core team members conducted interviews with the stakeholders, followed by de-briefing by each member. Stakeholder interview questions can be modified based on who is being interviewed. This learning is again shared back together in the core team meetings. Photos, videos (if it is an online call), voice recordings of the stakeholder interviews, etc. can all be used as the proof.
Uses & Outcomes Stakeholder interviews offer:
● Enhanced clarity about how your work or initiative idea matters from the viewpoint of your stakeholders.
● An understanding of how your stakeholders assess the value or benefit you create for them or potentially could create for them.
● The identification of barriers and roadblocks that need to be removed.
● A better and deeper personal relationship with your key stakeholders. Set Up People & Place Stakeholder interviews are particularly powerful when done face-to-face, but if in-person interviews are not an option, it is possible to create a connection virtually (video conference or phone) by attending to the quality of your presence. Time
● 30-45 minutes for a phone interview.
● 30-90 minutes for a face-to-face interview. Both figures are estimates and need to be adjusted to the specific context. Allocate an additional 30 min. before the interview to prepare and 30 min. after for review. Materials
● Interview guideline (questionnaire). Note: Feel free to adapt the guideline to your context.
● Paper and pen to take notes.
A screenshot of the questionnaire for stakeholder interviews conducted by core team members is shown here.
Actual Or Anticipated Outcomes
The successful implementation of this U-LAB 2X leadership space called "The Liminal Edge" served as a prototype model to try new ways of connecting the university students and allowing their core strengths to be brought to the foreground. Some of the transcripts of students who participated in this course are shown below.
Theory U is a transformative learning framework and a methodology for systemic change that has been developed by action researchers at MIT and practiced in several settings, nourishing leadership and collective capacity building in unique ways.
Theory U holds several interactive and relational practices with dialogue and inquiry interweaving itself through them. The core team members decided to work on an experimental leadership lab space called “The Liminal Edge” for a U Lab 2024 2x project. This is envisioned to be a space of possibilities and co-creation for emerging leaders (university students). All the work connects to higher education, and the team felt that to navigate and thrive in the current world, the team owes to the students a different kind of learning embedded in leadership.
The four-month journey was unique, beautiful, and challenging as the team chose to stay with “We don’t know how to do this," but we trust the process and the knowledge we hold as a collective. Every session together unfolded unique learnings of what the lab could be, should be, and must hold.
The project was implemented with an extended team of stakeholders who are visibly and invisibly a part of the ecosystem that the higher education space extends to. The team actively practiced the art of story circles and mindfulness in each session through a generative dialogue, and everyone honestly felt they needed more time to do this as a community.
While the idea of the liminal edge lab grew, what was more beautiful to witness was the self-leadership journey and the U journey that each of the participants went on, each walking in an emerging future supported by the collective wisdom of the circle. The team roughly captured the key focus areas, while the team aims to work further on building this curriculum and lab space that is generative in nature.
Conclusions/Recommendations/Summary
Key areas of focus during this study were grounding practices (mindfulness); curiosity as a leadership skill, generative listening and generative dialogues; designing powerful questions; aligning people, policies, and processes to support each other; sources of power; power intelligence through social presencing theater; story circles as a communal practice; feedback that nourishes collective growth; experience of inclusion and exclusion in workspaces; and building more inclusive communities.
Almost anyone working to bring about change in their current situation would agree: operating from our existing assumptions is not producing the results that we know are needed in these times. Our current reality highlights a need for us to transcend our blind spots and find new ways of learning, working, and innovating as teams, organizations, and communities.
As we started our journey with the core questions already discussed in the context section of the paper, the highly enthusiastic team enabled a new approach for making university students culminate a leadership approach through the Liminal Edge leadership lab space. This body of work tries to symbolize the following quotation by Margaret Mead to be true.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
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