Patterns and Possibilities - Thriving in Uncertainty with Miss Handie

While around 34.5% of the global population is thought to be single, around 41% of people go through at least one divorce, if not more. People, of all ages, are entering the dating world for the first time after being married or in a committed relationship for many years. Many of these newly single adults are finding out, the hard way, that getting to know someone is more complicated than it was before social media and all the other technological advances, that we enjoy daily, came to life. Dating apps and text messaging have made it easy and convenient for shorter and quicker conversations . These modern forms of communication and interaction don't always work well for people who really want to form meaningful, in person connections and find and attract true love. I'm curious if Human Systems Dynamics can be used to help single women and men discover if they are romantically compatible? I think there's a simple way that will prove to be highly useful for those who desire to find and attract a romantic partner.

Are dress codes in the workplace losing steam or do we still need them as a means of controlling our employees?What if dress codes were never implemented? Could we trust most employees to make good wardrobe choices? Would you rather work for a company that does or doesn't have a dress code? What impact would fashion freedom or boundaries have on your performance? How do you decide what to wear to work? Do you lean on the side of caution or do you prefer risky business? These are all important questions. Press play to hear what I think about this hot topic?

We've all heard the statement, “Everything is relative.” I believe it's true, and I wanted to explore relativity in an area that you and I will likely face if we are truly living and not just surviving. When you think about playing it safe in your world, what does that look, sound, and feel like? Is it foreign to you or intimately familiar?I've got my own mountains to climb as it relates to playing it safe. Press play to hear my perspectives and how I'm striving to form a new pattern of relativity.

Fear is a normal experience that human beings encounter everyday. The question is whether we are determined to face our fears or allow them to immobilize us. When you think about the things that make you fearful, are they more powerful than your determination to face them or vice-versa?This episode reveals one of my deepest fears and how it's impacted the way I see and experience life through a lens of fear laced with a whole lot of courage. What fears are you facing head on and which have you decided to sweep under the rug? How is your fear-facing approach working for you? This is a cheers for fears rather than tears for fears episode. Press play and see what other questions and insights emerge about your fears?

If you listened to any of the latest travel industry news, I'm sure you've heard bits and pieces or the full story about Southwest Airlines “new and soon to become effective” policies for air travel. These policies are extreme in nature and ancillary to the upcoming “assigned seats” policy that Southwest warned us about last year but has yet to launch. Critics are already chastising Southwest for their shocking new policy announcements and for swinging the bat at their customers in this harsh way. It feels as though Southwest is now punishing many of the customers that they once put first…the same loyal customers that have kept them thriving financially for decades. I'm curious who influenced the What, So What, and Now What that led to today's policy change announcements? What do you think? Are you on board, indifferent, or thinking about which airline you will travel on instead of Southwest? Press play to find out why I think Southwest's future may start to look a lot different than the company we've always known and respected.

Popularity contests and the desire to be liked has always been a thing. The world of social media has placed a wider and deeper emphasis on the concept of liking and disliking someone's content choices which often adds or detracts from the beholden's self-esteem. Being liked may be the position that most, if not all, human beings desire to experience, but what happens when you're not liked? And, what happens when you don't like someone, particularly that others seem to adore? How far are you willing to go to be liked? How uncomfortable does being disliked make you feel? Is being liked overrated? When you don't like someone, and have to work closely with them, what happens to the relationship and the work?

The world is shifting at a remarkable speed and not in a good way. Over the past few weeks, federal employees were asked to consider leaving their jobs unexpectedly, unifying and edifying programs were criticized and halted, and illegal immigrants were and are being hauled away from their jobs and residences. All of these things were happening while millions of Americans prepared to watch Super Bowl 59. As big as the game was, it didn't serve as a distraction from all the turbulence and uncertainty in the world. Like many of you, I tuned in to watch the game. What I observed is a pattern that really only happens in the world of football and other sports. I'm curious if you've ever thought about the game of football outside of catching the ball and scoring touchdowns? What do you notice and how is playing on the field the sane and different from playing off the field? Tune in to hear how I see the game of football and other real world experiences.

As a curious observer of most things, I am drawn to a pattern that is deeply present in the places where I've worked. I've never understood how or why it became a pattern or why it still has enough breath in it to survive. In this episode, I'm revealing the pattern with questions for you to reflect on through your lens of experience. I'm wondering if you've observed my reflection as a pattern or is this a rarity in the world you work in? What other patterns have you noticed in the places where you've worked? Which ones work and which need to be transformed?

I love all things fashion, including books, podcasts, television shows and movies, blogs and social media accounts about fashion and personal style. The power of getting dressed is high on the list of daily priorities, for many people, particularly due to the elevation and explosion of social media during the pandemic. We now live in a world where the average consumer, and the ways in which he or she chooses to spend their money, is widely shown on social media. We no longer have to rely on tv shows, commercials or magazines for style inspiration or fashion advice. A huge number of fashion designers, and luxury and affordable brands and retailers are discovered primarily through social media influencers who recommend that we shop from the same places where they shop and buy the same things that they buy. Having this resource can prove to be useful, especially for those who aren't good at picking out their own clothing, accessories, or even home decor. The thing to remember is that most of the social media influencers aren't fashion, style or design experts. They are regular folks, like you and I, who were courageous enough to broadcast their buying decisions online and found a community of people who happen to like the things they choose to buy. And now, the pattern continues! If social media influencers can confidently choose what they like and spend their money accordingly, why can't we do that for ourselves? Do we need that kind of influence? Is it really influence or is it simply algorithmic pressure? What do you think?

On January 1, 2025, I woke up to some disturbing and tragic national news. At that time, ten people had been killed by a terrorist in New Orleans, Louisiana, a few hours after midnight. Three officers were hospitalized and the terrorist, who used a truck and a gun to kill and injure these innocent human beings, was now dead. The world has never been devoid of wicked patterns but lately it feels like the patterns are becoming more widespread and pervasive than ever. Less than one month ago, an Insurance Executive was shot and killed in New York as he headed into a hotel. These heinous and hateful crimes are sadly part of a pattern that I began referring to as an unraveling in early 2024. These deadly actions seem to signal an unraveling of some sort in some human beings everywhere.I have many questions that may never be answered, yet I'm still curious how human beings arrive at such dark states of mind to take someone's life? When does the unraveling begin and are they aware that it is happening? Is it a slow progression or does it happen suddenly? What patterns are they seeing, hearing or feeling that the rest of us aren't seeing, hearing or feeling? The world is in a state of crisis and something must be done to stop the pattern of devalued human life.If you and I are catalysts for change, how can we personally use Human Systems Dynamics to help influence others to recognize what's happening within them long before their edges become unraveled?

Glenda Eoyang, the Founder and Executive Director of Human Systems Dynamics (HSD) Institute, returns to the podcast, in this episode, to talk about a grand and important transition and transformation that is happening in the near future.Press play to hear firsthand what Glenda has been seeing, understanding, and influencing through and with HSD for over 20 years, why it matters, and what she and people everywhere are doing about it right now. *********After January 1, 2025, the Human Systems Dynamics Institute will emerge into the world as a new, co-creative, global, massively diverse community of theory and practice. This new complex system has been evolving over the past 20 years. It includes individuals from all parts of the world, disciplines, and walks of life. It includes institutions from business, government, philanthropy, education, nonprofit, and sectors yet to be imagined. A coherent whole emerges from these diverse agents because they all find hope and power in the foundations of HSD: Vision, Simple Rules, and core models and methods (Adaptive Action, Inquiry, Pattern Logic). In this Blog Post, Glenda and Royce Holladay, Director of HSD Services, share their thoughts and thanks for what the last twenty-two years has allowed to emerge!Curious learners have an opportunity to attend “HSD Gathering 2025,” which will be held in the beautiful university city of Guelph, (near Toronto, Ontario) Canada from May 29 – 30, 2025. This two-day gathering will focus on the practice of applying HSD to the sticky issues we all face today in our teams, organizations, families, and communities.NOW WHAT CAN YOU DO NEXT?Save the date - May 29 - 30, 2025 in Guelph (pronounced gwelf), OntarioComplete this brief survey to share your thoughts and ideas for initial program design.The HSD Gathering 2025 registration link is live and there is early bird pricing until January 31, 2025. Check back periodically for more details.If you have any questions about the Gathering, please send an email to community@hsdgathering.org or use the Contact Us form on the website.Thank you for investing in this vibrant HSD community of curious scholars and for listening to Patterns and Possibilities.

The holidays are considered the most wonderful time of the year. It's the time when we gather most with friends, family and colleagues at work to celebrate life in joyous ways. Celebrations with friends and family who know us well give us opportunities to let our hair down without judgment. The celebrations that happen with the people we work with, and around, often have to be navigated with more poise and composure than we would typically display with friends and family especially when alcohol is being served. If you've ever been to an after hours holiday party sponsored by the company or organization that you work for, you may have observed uncharacteristic and peculiar behavior from your colleagues as well as the people you report to and/or whom report to you. Perhaps you were the person demonstrating uncharacteristic and peculiar behavior that one wouldn't consider professional amongst professionals. It's easy to resort to judgments about the human beings we work with and around when they courageously step outside of their office personas and transform into human beings that we no longer recognize and didn't know existed. The definition of having a good time is broader than some would expect when parties are centered around the human beings who work at “The Office.” It's important to celebrate life professionally, but it's even more important to tread lightly and avoid the needles of unprofessionalism when you're surrounded by people who rate your job performance and for whom you do the same. How comfortable are you navigating after hours work celebrations? How much of your whole self, if any, do you bring into those spaces and places? Have you ever gone beyond what's professionally acceptable at a work celebration and if so, how did you determine you'd gone too far? How can you help your team to self-police themselves after hours by seeing and adhering to reasonable boundary lines when they haven't been established?

I've always been fascinated by cities and how they work and every time I get an opportunity to travel to a new one, I'm always hoping to have an adventure. My first trip to Nashville , Tennessee, in 2016 was adventurous in a horrific sort of way. I've never forgotten it, and I had to face that reality head on just a few days ago when I traveled back to Nashville for the second time. I seized the opportunity to transform some painful memories into something impactful and meaningful. Press play to hear how the city of Nashville impacted me and what I decided to do about it.

How often do you use virtual meeting platforms to connect with others? If virtual meetings are a regular pattern of communication in your personal and/or professional life, how do you make sure you're giving your absolute best? How do you virtually invest in a room full of people you've never met in person? How do you help others to get comfortable speaking in virtual spaces? Have you ever felt uncomfortable in a Zoom meeting? If so, did you remain present, turn off your camera, or simply log off altogether?How can we help the human beings who lead and participate in virtual meetings to have a great human experience? These are some of the questions that have crossed my curious mind lately.

I love to read, and I stumbled upon a book recently that caused me to Stand in Inquiry in a deep and imaginative way. The words on the page led me to more wonderment about life and the patterns that we exhibit as badges of honor. I'm curious if you've ever read a book that made you less certain about what you thought you knew? Have you ever been inspired or influenced to move from holding on to your beliefs to letting go of them so something new can take shape? How has reading impacted the way you see, hear and experience life and the patterns that live in and around you?

I'm thankful that I've been able to use Human Systems Dynamics to transform wicked patterns in my life. There's one pattern that I haven't been able to transform - not because I don't have the tools - it's because I haven't had the desire and courage to deal with it until now. An unexpected and powerful question from a loving friend and critic recently inspired me to deal with my ugly truths and the company they keep. Staring at it in the face reminds me just how ignorant I've been. Fortunately, I'm not ignorant anymore, and I refuse to allow what I once didn't know to be my forever excuse for not moving past it. Are you holding tightly to unhealthy patterns because they've been part of your life for so long that it would feel uncomfortable to live without them? If that is part of your story, I invite you to zoom in and zoom out of your ugly truths with deep curiosity and envision what your life would be like if you had the courage to walk away from what's kept you safely stuck in a wicked pattern.Overcoming wicked issues can be a tough process, but nothing is intractable when we use Human Systems Dynamics.

Have you ever walked into a room full of empty tables and chairs? People are in the room and yet no one is sitting down. Conversations are happening all around you, but all of the chairs are still empty. Who is going to be the first to take a seat? Which table do you choose? What makes one empty table more appealing than another? I was recently faced with an opportunity to choose from several empty tables in a large room. I was the first to take a seat at the table, and I was joined by human beings I'd never met before, and it was the most magical experience!Empty tables are an invitation to delve into the possibilities that exist because we are human beings with lived experiences. What have you discovered from the tables at which you've chosen take a seat? What opportunities did you cease and were there any that you missed out on? What will you do differently the next time you're at the table? Living Cities is an organization that intentionally and collaboratively brings human beings to the table to center the topics that help us to thrive individually and collectively. To learn more about the work and the change they are committed to, visit https://livingcities.org/.

Do you remember what life was like before social media? What was your primary method for connecting and socializing with others? Do you find it easy or difficult to form connections with people via social media? Is it possible to develop and maintain rich and fulfilling connections with people you follow on social media and may never meet or interact with outside of an app? Think about your social media connections and the connections you've formed outside of the digital world. What makes them different and similar? How open are you to developing connections with people no matter where they happen?When you're not logged into your social media accounts, how do you connect with the people you like and love? How often do you make new connections that don't involve social media?What would your life be like without social media? How would you make social investments in others?

I recently traveled out of town and found myself in an awkward social experience that some would have avoided. Instead, I decided to look at it as a social experiment that I could get curious about and become better as a result of it.

Human Systems Dynamics (HSD) has been around for more than twenty years. There are associates, around the globe, who have been certified in it and countless learners who have attended one or many HSD non-certification courses. 
The hope is that those that learn HSD are sharing it with others and that sharing will attract more human beings to touch HSD and make it a pattern of being. 
Just recently, I realized that HSD may be part of an individual's way of living and being without them being formally or informally introduced to HSD. Imagine that! 
It made me wonder where HSD begins and where it ends?
Press play to hear some of the ways HSD is being practiced by human beings as a pattern who don't know anything about HSD.


The 2024 Paris Olympics is over now, but it's still a popular topic of conversation around the world. I watched this round of the Olympics more than any other and became sort of addicted to it, but not in the way that you may think. The question that came to mind as I observed the pattern of victory and celebrating life in different events, was where did this notion of being the best come from? How is it helping and/or hindering us both in and outside of sports? What do you think?

Ego is often the primary driver in the life choices and decisions of people that we interact with everyday. Has your ego ever told you that you're more qualified or better than you are? How often are you making decisions influenced by ego rather reality? How much can your ego be trusted to lead you to the best decision for you and the people living , playing, and working with and around you? Is your ego a little or big influence in your life? How does ego impact three of the most important decisions of our lives? Press play to discover three common adult decisions you may be soon be faced with and learn how our egos can impact the outcome of those critical decisions.

When you finally meet the romantic partner you've been dreaming about, love is a splendored thing! If you're lucky, you can fall in love and stay there forever. If something happens to cause you to fall out of love with the person of your dreams, it can suddenly feel like your heart has been pierced with splinters. I've developed a Relationship Math Quiz to help you and your mate determine if your relationship is thriving or just surviving. I invite you and your mate to take the quiz independently so you can see, hear and experience how your partner views your relationship and if it's in alignment with how you see it.

I have always been afraid of birds, especially those that flock together. On a recent trip to Chicago, I had an epiphany about why everything in the bird species terrifies me, and it took me back to my past when I first read, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou. I was inspired to figure out why the caged bird sings at work, and I now know why their lyrics bother me so much.

I had an amazing four-day vacation that was sandwiched by two wicked issues. Both created major tension between me and the other people that were involved. Rather than remain a victim of my circumstances, I took time to think about what transpired in an HSD type of way. I figured out how I can open a doorway to empathy even when I'm dealing with unreasonable human beings. I realize that there are bad apples out there, but I prefer to beat them with a pattern of self-awareness rather than join them. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/patternsandpossibilities/message

In March 2001, I was granted a five-day opportunity to be locked in a room on The Oprah Winfrey Show with Dr. Phil McGraw and 41 other human beings, from around the country, for five days, in The Get Real Challenge. The 42 of us were filmed from morning to night even while we were just interacting with one another, on an informal basis, outside of Harpo Studios. Those five days felt like a lifetime and by the time we were preparing to head home, I had transformed into someone else…who was ready to bring my creative side out of hiding so it could live and breathe real air. At the end of that journey, myself and the other 41 human beings who were participating in the experiment, were required to make a written contractual declaration about who we'd evolved into after spending time with Dr. Phil. In this episode, I'll share my declaration and reveal how it and HSD are helping me to navigate the restless waters flowing through my life right now. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/patternsandpossibilities/message

I'm delighted to announce the relaunch of this podcast, and it's happening in just a few days. I wouldn't be here, doing something I love and in this fashion, without loyal listeners like YOU. Press play to learn more about the What, So What, and Now What of this new version of the podcast, and how WE can continue THRIVING together. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/patternsandpossibilities/message

It's been awhile since we had a curious conversation, so we wanted to reunite with all of you for some important news from Glenda Eoyang, Founder and Executive Director of Human Systems Dynamics Institute. The Human Systems Dynamics Institute is hosting a Gathering of Curious Minds in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Friday and Saturday, April 5-6. This is an in-person opportunity to meet people from everywhere, who lightly and deeply touch and use HSD to see, understand, and influence patterns personally and professionally. Glenda reveals: 1. Why now is an opportune time for people everywhere to gather around the patterns that disrupt our daily lives; 2. What people everywhere should bring to the gathering table; and 3. What people everywhere can expect to gain and leave with after the HSD Gathering. If you're curious about HSD and want to create the patterns that help you and everyone around the globe to thrive, then register for the HSD Gathering and meet us in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 5. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

This episode completes our pattern of curious conversations with members of the Human Systems Dynamics (HSD) Community. We couldn't think of a better way to end the season and podcast than inviting, Glenda Eoyang, Founder and Executive Director of the Human Systems Dynamics Institute, back as our special guest. In our first episode, Glenda shared: the history behind HSD, why HSD matters, and advice that anyone new to and familiar with HSD can use now. In this episode, we've asked Glenda to explain something many of us are curious about and that is the HSD Vision. She also shares details about the issue that's at the top of her wicked list. Glenda helps public and private organizations thrive in the face of overwhelming complexity and uncertainty. She is a pioneer in the applications of complexity science to human systems, and she founded the field of HSD in 2001.  As founding executive director of the Human Systems Dynamics Institute, she leads a global network of scholar-practitioners who use her models and methods to see patterns in the chaos that surrounds them, understand the patterns in simple and powerful ways, and take practical steps to shift chaos toward coherence. Her recent clients include the Finnish Research Institute (VTT), US Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, British Columbia Ministry of Health, Oxfam International, The International Baccalaureate Organization, The Sustainability Consortium, the Association for Medical Education in Europe, UK National Health Service, and Roffey Park Institute.  Glenda received her doctorate in HSD from the Union Institute and University in 2001, studying under Drs. Donald Klein and Kevin Dooley. There she discovered three fundamental factors that influence the dynamics of self-organizing change in human systems. This research forms the foundation for the body of work that helps individuals, institutions, and communities respond to complex change. With colleagues around the world, Glenda delivers a hybrid of education and consulting in the form of Adaptive Action Laboratories. Individuals and teams bring their most wicked problems, learn and practice human systems dynamics approaches, and leave with plans for next wise action. Groups from Vancouver to Sao Paulo and Boston to Delhi have used this method to break through apparently intractable issues.  Her published works include scholarly articles in a variety of fields and Radical Rules for Schools: Adaptive Action for Complex Change (HSD Institute, March 2013), and Coping with Chaos: Seven Simple Tools (Lagumo Press, 1996). Glenda's latest book, with co-author Royce Holladay, is Adaptive Action: Leveraging Uncertainty in Your Organization (Stanford University Press, April 2013). It is a roadmap for anyone who chooses to work at the intersection of order and chaos. Glenda grew up in the Texas Panhandle, where there is more sky than ground and the wind “has been blowing for a very long time.” She lives now near the headwaters of the Mississippi River, on a little lake in Circle Pines, Minnesota. Thanks to Zoom, she engages with global partners in local action.  For more information about Glenda and the HSD Institute, visit www.hsdinstitute.org. You can reach Glenda via email @Geoyang@hsdinstitute.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community but this time Glenda Eoyang, Founder and Executive Director of Human Systems Dynamics Institute, is taking over the conversational reins to ask the questions that have her curious. Our next special guest is Tamela Handie, the host of Patterns & Possibilities - Curious Conversations with Miss Handie. Tamela's passion is helping others fulfill the highest expression of themselves. She is a Corporate Trainer, Organizational Development and Leadership Strategist, Certified Facilitator and Human Systems Dynamics Practitioner. Tamela uses her skills and experience to disrupt status quo workplace culture and transform lackluster engagement, communication, and leadership into impactful, energetic and creative breakthroughs.  In addition to hosting and producing the Patterns & Possibilities podcast, Tamela serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Human Systems Dynamics Institute. Tamela's first love is writing. She is a published author and poet and has written numerous blogs and poems about a wide variety of interesting topics, from racism to heartbreak, on the popular Medium platform.  Tamela comes from a family of seasoned educators and orators. Fueled by deep pride in her family surname, she truly believes that “Courage Comes in Handie.” In her spare time, she lends her talents as a voiceover artist, on-air personality, and inspirational speaker. Tamela's celebrates life with long walks, solo vacations, dancing, hula hooping and a good lemon drop martini.  Her voice can be heard delivering travel announcements at Kansas City International (KCI) Airport in Kansas City, Missouri, and on her podcast, “Gumbo Nights with Miss Handie.” Tamela earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and an MBA in Management from Avila University, where she's served as a guest lecturer on personal branding for many years.    She previously served in the Office of former Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, Sly James, as Senior Advisor for Operations. She's also served on numerous boards and commissions including the Kansas City Credit Union's Supervisory Committee, the Kansas City AIDS Foundation, and the Avila University Alumni Board. You can connect with Tamela on LinkedIn and follow her courageous blend of extroverted introversion on Instagram and TikTok. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

John N. Murray is a systems thinker, collaborator, teacher, and coach based in beautiful Saint Paul, Minnesota. John is an Evaluation Specialist at the University of Minnesota Extension, where he has worked since 2020 with the most incredible Youth Development colleagues. Having begun his career in the development and facilitation of youth programs, John was certified as a Human Systems Dynamics Practitioner in 2016 seeking to help support his and other programs and organizations facing complex challenges and environments. Since then, he has coached and continued learning alongside professionals from around the world, in fields such as economics, medicine, education, and youth development, taking action in uncertain and often overwhelming circumstances. John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cross-Cultural Communication and Ethics from Prescott College, a Masters in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota, and is a Ph.D. Candidate researching the use of systems thinking and complexity science by evaluators. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Dr. Miriam Bayés. Dr. Bayés is a physician specialized in clinical pharmacology, and a doctor, with almost 30 years of experience in the rigorous world of clinical research, the strategic context of the corporate environment and the fascinating world of human development. Miriam has always been passionate about teaching and facilitating the growth of people and teams, what she has been doing in the multiple positions Miriam has had over the years as Medical Director. Recently Miriam has decided to put her knowledge and experience in several hospitals and organizations, family businesses and large multinationals in different countries to the service of the medical, scientific, and academic community as well as entrepreneurs. As a consultant, coach and trainer, Miriam creates adaptive leadership and team management programs for personal and professional growth based on the neuroscience, the systems thinking and the complexity of the human dynamics. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Marie Murtagh. Marie is Chief Executive Officer and Partner at The Collective Edge. Marie and her business partner aspire to help “shape the shift” that is emerging into our collective future, helping clients, partners and society at large stay present to and functional on the collective edge. Marie has trodden a unique path to The Collective Edge, from IT professional (developer), to project manager beloved by her teams, to Agile explorer, to accomplished consciousness facilitator. Along the way, she has worked for small startups, medium size organizations, and Deloitte Consulting. She has explored many career paths, investigating where her calling was best deployed. Time spent in a career break caring for her mentally ill father stretched her boundaries (and her compassion) in untold ways. As her career continued to unfold itself, she became an autodidact in Integral Theory, consciousness studies, collective sensemaking, complexity science, and various transformational arts. She is the untitled head of R&D. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Phei Sunn. Phei Sunn is currently Director, Transformation Office at the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Singapore, where she drives organisational transformation efforts by aligning strategy and risk governance, building culture and capabilities for transformation, and developing strong leaders and a supportive ecosystem for innovation and learning. She also co-leads the Environmental Sustainability Secretariat which provides oversight on sustainability workstreams across LTA. She currently contributes as a public sector career coach, action learning facilitator for public sector organisational development programmes, and serves as a pro-bono Board member with the HSD Institute. Phei Sunn is also an active session designer and/or facilitator in many citizen-engagement projects. As part of giving back to the community, she regularly conducts facilitation refresher workshops for fellow colleagues. Over her 20+ years span in the Singapore Public Service, Phei Sunn has also worked on portfolios such as trade policy, manpower development, and strategic foresight. Prior to LTA, she was Principal Consultant at Civil Service College, Institute of Leadership and Organisational Development (CSC/ILOD), where she supported public sector projects in the areas of change, visioning, culture building, and leadership conversations; facilitated training workshops on organisation design, teaming, organisational development and change. Phei Sunn holds a Masters in Social-Organisational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, a Masters in Public Administration from the LKY School of Public Policy (Best Capstone Paper), and a Bachelors (Hons) in Economics from the National University of Singapore. She has a graduate diploma from the NTL-CSC Organisational Development Practitioner Certificate Programme, is a certified Human Systems Dynamics (HSD) Professional in working with complex adaptive systems, and certified Prosci change practitioner. Outside of work, Phei Sunn is an avid ultra-endurance athlete and mountaineer. She loves being in nature, and running ultra-distances in the trails. She climbed Mt. Everest in 2019, and became the 3rd Singaporean to complete the Seven Summits (scaling the highest peak in each continent) in Dec 2021. In 2023, she successfully scaled Mt. K2, the second highest peak in the world, and became one of the first Singaporean females to do so. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Dr. Urmi Ashar. Dr. Ashar is a physician who empowers medical students with the critical skills to be leaders in their profession, communities, and the Public Health spheres. She crafts unique experiential learning opportunities for the students so they can recognize their innate leadership potential and impact public health by improving Social Determinants of Health and catalyzing the current healthcare system through the practice of Adaptive Leadership and tools from the Systems Thinking and Complexity Sciences toolkits. Dr. Ashar asserts that effective leadership in healthcare and public health, involves utilizing social influence and advocacy to anticipate and act on health challenges for a positive outcome. She also believes that practicing leadership with cultural humility in pursuit of excellence in empathic patient care, humanism, accountability, and altruism is a core tenet of professionalism for a physician practicing in service of humanity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Ahmed Avais.  Ahmed Avais is an expert in driving success in demanding business landscapes. With a career spanning 20 years across various sectors such as healthcare, finance, insurance, and technology, Ahmed has garnered extensive experience in enabling teams and organizations to excel. 
From coaching Fortune 500 companies, mid-size firms, and emerging startups across the United States, Europe, and Asia, Ahmed has empowered his clients to unlock new levels of agility, resilience, and innovation. His remarkable leadership has guided numerous teams of coaches, Scrum Masters, and change agents, initiating pivotal shifts in organizational culture – transforming from managerial to coaching, from exclusive to inclusive, and from unintentionally undermining to actively empowering. 
Apart from his professional commitments, Ahmed is based in Apex, North Carolina, where he enjoys a vibrant life with his wife and four children. He has a deep-seated passion for personal growth, mastery, Agile games, and embracing the great outdoors. Whether it's hiking, globe-trotting, or exploring diverse cultures, Ahmed pours his heart into it. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Stacy Becker. Stacy Becker is in the process of launching a consulting practice, "Third Horizon," aimed at helping leaders solve complex problems.  Her previous consulting experience included projects addressing long-term care financing; affordable housing; early childhood education; and employee health.  As Vice President for the Rippel Foundation, she authored and presented a paper on financing population health to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and co-wrote "Beyond the Grant" a financing workbook used by America's Essential Hospitals and the National League of Cities, among others. Prior to consulting, Stacy served as the Public Works Director the the City of Saint Paul, and as Budget Director for the the City and County of San Francisco as well as the City of Saint Paul. Stacy has an MPP from Harvard and an MSc from the London School of Economics, which she attended as a Bush Leadership Fellow.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Leslie Patterson, PhD HSDP. Leslie Patterson taught English and language arts Texas middle and high schools for ten years before becoming a teacher educator, where she taught in Texas universities until she retired in 2005. As a Co-Director of the North Star of Texas Writing Project, Patterson integrates her support of K-12 literacy leaders with her interest in complex systems and literacy learning communities. She has consulted with teachers and school districts in Texas, California, Alaska, and Brazil. Her publications include numerous articles and books on language and literacy instruction, with a particular focus on writing instruction for adolescents and English learners, as well as human systems dynamics (HSD). In recent years, she has co-authored two books with Royce Holladay and Glenda Eoyang: “Radical Rules for Schools: Adaptive Action for Complex Change” and “Deep Learning Ecologies: An Invitation to Complex Teaching and Learning.” Her deep commitment and joy are to support educators as they work to make sense of complex challenges. Patterson's other publications include numerous articles and books on literacy instruction, particularly writing instruction for adolescents and English learners, as well as literacy policy and practice and human systems dynamics (HSD). Her deep commitment and joy is to support educators as they work to make sense of complex challenges. Patterson's recent publications, including “Radical Rules for Schools” and “Deep Learning Ecology,” combine her interests in writing instruction, support for multilingual students, professional learning, and school reform—all from a perspective that views teaching and learning as networks of complex adaptive systems. She is now a Co-Director of the North Star of Texas Writing Project, affiliated with the National Writing Project site, and an Associate with Human Systems Dynamics Institute. Patterson's recent publications, including “Radical Rules for Schools: Adaptive Action for Complex Change,” combine these interests in writing instruction, professional development, and school reform as a complex adaptive system. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Mary Nations.  Mary lives in Raleigh, North Carolina and works all around the country, now mostly online. In the past, she's led large-scale change projects, facilitated international cross-functional teams, managed the interface between business needs and IT systems development, and provided group and individual coaching. Mary also taught a variety of courses regarding complexity in human systems, including sessions with a focus on diversity, change, peace, and conflict. She's worked with others to write several books in the emerging Human Systems Dynamics field, and co-led the Human Systems Dynamics Practitioner program with the founder of HSD Institute, Glenda Eoyang. Mary remains curious and motivated by how we can create generative engagement to get things done together, to work with change and across differences. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Ella Firebrace. Ella supports communities, organisations and individuals grapple with their long-term challenges and progress their change efforts using innovation and change processes. She has recently moved from London where she worked at the RSA (Royal Society of Arts) to Norfolk, East of England to take a new role in local government as Innovation Manager at Norfolk County Council. Her interests have centred on how national and global challenges play out in local contexts and in people's day to day lives, whether that be related to health, social care, learning, work or our natural and built environments. She has an MSc in Global Migration and BSc in Psychology and sees herself as a lifelong learner. She became an HSD associate in March 2023 and through using the HSD models and methods, she's found new ways to see patterns and make choices amid complexity. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellafirebrace  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Bhav Patel. Bhav spends most of his time supporting individuals and groups having conversations about their messy realities as they look for direction and make decisions. Usually these are networked groups, often global, often with unevenly distributed power and resources. All of them in some ways are trying to make a difference in people's lives and our planet. You might call him a facilitator, trainer, coach, host, or even a conversational gardener. However, he finds it difficult to define his work and give himself a specific title or badge, and he quite likes that! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Judy Tal. Judy is a professional consultant, teacher, supervisor, and lecturer in the field of Human Systems Dynamics (HSD), Co-founder and director of the HSD Learning Center in Tel- Aviv (HSD-IL). My interest in human systems and human relations emerged at the late 90s after 24 years in the academy learning and later teaching and researching in the field of pure mathematics; Graphs' Theory and Combinatorial Algorithms. My current calling emerged from various professional certifications and practices, among which are the Tavistock analytical approach to OD, Theory of Constrains (ToC), Mediation with practicum, The Learning Organization and Theory U, and many more. In the summer of 2004 I was introduced to the HSD complex paradigm which finally made sense of what I've observed in my work with Organizations and teams. The HSD paradigm offers explanations rather than descriptions and thus it supports decision making and provides options for action. I joined the HSD community by becoming a certified associate (HSDA) of the HSD Institute, and a few years later an HSDP under the supervision and teaching of Dr. Glenda Eoyang and Royce Holladay. In 2010, together with Dr. Glenda Eoyang we established a HSD Learning Center in Tel-Aviv, providing certification programs, workshops and consulting services to the local market. During that time, I was frequently involved in the development and delivery of various learning activities with the HSD Institute around the world and in the virtual arena. In 2011, inspired by Dr. Glenda Eoyang's theory and based on my own professional experience, I put together a set of axioms and defined by them the foundations for the field of Human Systems Dynamics. Since then, together with various partners, I'm involved in collaborative projects under the name "HSD-inside" where the complex paradigm is woven into traditional disciplines (more concretely: HSD inside Planning and Strategy, HSD inside Performance Appraisal, HSD inside Coaching etc.). The HIVE©, developed with Sabine Amend, HSDA herself, is a new group-ware, a capacity builder of creative and generative engagement in human interactions, particularly for management skills like leadership, authority, and innovation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Dr. Mike Norbury. Dr. Norbury is Senior Medical Director for Vancouver Community - Vancouver Coastal Health. Following completion of his Family Medicine training in Scotland in 2008, Dr. Norbury spent several years working as a GP Academic Fellow and a GP Health Inequality Fellow, during which time he also completed his Masters in Public Health Policy and Health Inequalities.   Concurrently, he worked in large urban primary care clinics serving socio-economically disadvantaged populations in both Glasgow and Edinburgh.  He formally became involved in medical leadership in 2011 with his first medical director role.     Dr. Norbury relocated to Vancouver, BC, in 2015 and started work at Raven Song Community Health Centre, serving medically and socially complex primary care clients as a Family Physician.   In 2016, while continuing in clinical practice, Mike became the Medical Director for the Primary Care Program at VCH.  In 2019 he became the Associate Senior Medical Director.     Thereafter, in May 2021 he became the interim Senior Medical Director and in July, 2021, Dr. Norbury became the Senior Medical Director, for Vancouver Community - the role in which he still currently works.   Mike also currently holds a Clinical Assistant Professorship in the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Monica Leon. Monica Leon is an experienced global OD practitioner, strategist, facilitator, and executive coach, specializing in sticky issues, open systems theory, complex systems, and innovative work practices that intertwine vertical development and achieve sustainable results. Monica believes in tapping into the collective wisdom to co-create and being a natural strategic thinker. She focuses on mobilizing and expanding her clients' abilities to make desired changes in their sticky issues.   Her experience incorporates working in large to small organizations both locally and internationally. It includes functional expertise in sales, marketing, finance, insurance, FMCGS, engineering, public transport, manufacturing, facilities management, rail, retail, contracting/asset management, logistics and public organization environments.   Monica holds a BS with honors in Economics and International Studies from Wilson College, an MBA with distinction from UFSIA, Belgium, and a Master of Science in Organisation Development (MSOD) from Pepperdine University, USA. She is working towards becoming a PCC ICF Coach and has been a certified Senior and Global Professional in Human Resources (SPHR & GPHR). She is the founder and choice architect of Nurturing Choicefulness, www.nurturingchoicefulness.co.nz  and developer in partnership with Wendy Morris and the HSD Institute of www.hsdessentials.com.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Nora Murphy Johnson. Nora Murphy Johnson, Ph.D., is the President of Inspire to Change. She holds a PhD in Evaluation Studies from the University of Minnesota. Nora believes that all systems of people and institutions are connected and that all parts of the system need to be strong and healthy. Nora encourages clients and stakeholders to think outside of our boxes and disciplines and create a coherent shared vision for something greater than what exists now. Evaluation can be an integral part of working towards this vision. Nora works towards understanding (1) how principles-focused, developmental research and evaluation can be used for systems change and social justice, (2) ways to create a coherent and shared vision that allows for contextualized learning and adaptation, and (3) how to best engage people in useful research and evaluations that inform and inspire. Nora is best known for her publications, “Nine guiding principles to help youth overcome homelessness: A principles-focused developmental evaluation” (Developmental Evaluation Exemplars, 2015), and “Connecting Individual and Societal Change” (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2020), and Creative Evaluation and Engagement: Volume 1 (2022). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Antonia Wilcoxon.  Antonia Maria Apolinário-Wilcoxon, Ed.D., Equity Strategies, LLC, founder, president, and principal consultant provides direction and leadership in efforts of private, public, and collaborative efforts working to improve the lives of disenfranchised and vulnerable persons impacted by inequities.   Dr. Apolinário-Wilcoxon obtained her doctorate degree in educational leadership focusing on critical studies informed by Critical Pedagogy theorists.  An African-Brazilian, she brings experiences in education, corporate, privatenonprofits, and government to lead efforts that bring agency, voice, and liberation in spaces where the presence of Oppression, bias and other barriers, silence those most valuable voices to find solutions to problems in their world. Dr. Apolinário-Wilcoxon's approach is one of listening deeply, exercising inquiry to enable wisdom and insights to emerge.  Her facilitation is participatory, inclusive, resourceful, caring, and thoughtful. She is a volunteer member of several advisory boards, including board of directors: President-Elect, Minnesota Public Health Association (2023) Member, Senior Community Services Board of Directors Chair (2022), People's Center Clinics and Services Board of Directors Chair, Center for Resilient Families, University of Minnesota/Arizona, Federal Grant Member, African American Registry Board of Directors Member, Public Health Administration and Policy Community/Alumni Advisory Board, U of MN Member, Program in Health Disparities Research Advisory Board, U of MN/Medical School Member, National Association of Black Social Workers Member, ICHRP (Integrated Care for High-Risk Pregnancy/Healthy Black Pregnancy Board) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

In this episode, we're continuing our pattern of inquiry with active members of the HSD community. Our special guest is Royce Holladay, Director of Services for Human Systems Dynamics Institute. Royce Holladay, M.Ed. is a self-proclaimed "hunter/gatherer/sharer" of ideas, insights, and possibility as she steps into life's complexity. Looking at the world through multiple lenses, she hunts for patterns and unexpected perspectives in times of uncertainty and turbulence. Gathering them to explore and catalogue, she shares them as new connections and ideas she finds true and useful. Royce enjoys seeing a slow, growing recognition, as well as great bursts of ideas that are slightly new, creating a greater understanding of reality. Royce Holladay is a leader among Associates from around the world who use human systems dynamics (HSD). She serves as a teacher, consultant, and coach with individuals, groups, and organizations as they engage in complex change. Well-grounded in theoretical foundations of HSD, she brings a practitioner's voice to applying the theory, models, and methods to everyday opportunities and challenges. Ms. Holladay's long experience as an educator and district administrator in the USA has gifted her with a deep understanding of the dynamics of human systems. This has been a springboard for the development of a number of models, methods, and approaches used by practitioners across a wide variety of sectors and agencies. Along with a number of blog posts about using HSD in day-to-day life, Ms. Holladay has co-authored nine books and guides. Her writings are designed to support others in using HSD as a foundation to see, understand, and influence patterns in the organizational and personal lives of individuals, teams, and communities. One of those co-authoring partnerships produced two books: Radical Rules for Schools: Adaptive Action for Complex Change and Deep Learning Ecologies: An Invitation to Complex Teaching and Learning. She also partnered with Glenda Eoyang, Ph.D., to co-author Adaptive Action, Leveraging Uncertainty in Your Organization. Additionally, she has published a book of Haiku, based on complex images in nature; a book of poetry offering her observations of women she has encountered in her life; and a four-part series of Haiku that trace nature's patterns across the landscape of a full year. All her books are available online through Amazon and other online booksellers. Using a unique training format called Adaptive Action Labs (AA Labs), she establishes a deep learning ecology. In these sessions, participants focus first on their own intractable challenges, relative to the topic at hand. They describe and explore the nature of those challenges, from their current perspective. Then throughout the learning experience, Ms. Holladay sets conditions for the Participants to use new learning to build understanding of the dynamics of the intractable challenges they face. They come to see new options for forward action in those areas. Each participant leaves the session with three value-added outcomes: • New insights about the dynamics of human systems • Viable action plan to address the next challenge in an intractable issue • Skills and understandings they can generalize to complex challenges in all areas of their life at home, at work, and in their community To find out more about Adaptive Action Labs, visit the HSD website to see the AA Labs that are offered this year! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

This episode launches a new pattern of inquiry with members of the HSD community. Our first special guest is Glenda Eoyang, Founder and Executive Director of the Human Systems Dynamics Institute. Glenda Eoyang helps public and private organizations thrive in the face of overwhelming complexity and uncertainty. She is a pioneer in the applications of complexity science to human systems, and she founded the field of human systems dynamics (HSD) in 2001. As founding executive director of the Human Systems Dynamics Institute she leads a global network of scholar-practitioners who use her models and methods to see patterns in the chaos that surrounds them, understand the patterns in simple and powerful ways, and take practical steps to shift chaos toward coherence. Her recent clients include the Finnish Research Institute (VTT), US Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, British Columbia Ministry of Health, Oxfam International, The International Baccalaureate Organization, The Sustainability Consortium, the Association for Medical Education in Europe, UK National Health Service, and Roffey Park Institute. Glenda received her doctorate in Human Systems Dynamics from the Union Institute and University in 2001, studying under Drs. Donald Klein and Kevin Dooley. There she discovered three fundamental factors that influence the dynamics of self-organizing change in human systems. This research forms the foundation for the body of work that helps individuals, institutions, and communities respond to complex change. With colleagues around the world, Glenda delivers a hybrid of education and consulting in the form of Adaptive Action Laboratories. Individuals and teams bring their most wicked problems, learn and practice human systems dynamics approaches, and leave with plans for next wise action. Groups from Vancouver to Sao Paulo and Boston to Delhi have used this method to break through apparently intractable issues. Her published works include scholarly articles in a variety of fields and Radical Rules for Schools: Adaptive Action for Complex Change (HSD Institute, March 2013), and Coping with Chaos: Seven Simple Tools (Lagumo Press, 1996). Glenda's latest book, with co-author Royce Holladay, is Adaptive Action: Leveraging Uncertainty in Your Organization(Stanford University Press, April 2013). It is a roadmap for anyone who chooses to work at the intersection of order and chaos. Glenda grew up in the Texas Panhandle, where there is more sky than ground and the wind “has been blowing for a very long time.” She lives now near the headwaters of the Mississippi River, on a little lake in Circle Pines, Minnesota. Thanks to Zoom, she engages with global partners in local action. For more information about Glenda and the HSD Institute, visit www.hsdinstitute.org. You can reach Glenda via email @Geoyang@hsdinstitute.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

Affirmations of the Heart uses HSD language to help you to See, Understand, and Influence your world with calmness, kindness, and resilience.  We invite you to listen to the affirmations, repeat them aloud and make them part of your daily pattern. If you enjoy what you hear, please share them with the folks in your circle.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

HSD thought leader, Glenda Eoyang, has come to understand why and how uncertainty is now a source of hope, rather than despair, for her students and clients. The more she shares these insights with our curious HSD a community, she sees the energy rise and the momentum for change build. In this episode, we will share six of the patterns that Glenda has noticed. We wonder if they will help you, too, find hope in chaos. Let's explore it together!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message

Affirmations of the Heart uses HSD language to help you to See, Understand, and Influence your world with calmness, kindness, and resilience.  We invite you to listen to the affirmations, repeat them aloud and make them part of your daily pattern. If you enjoy what you hear, please share them with the folks in your circle.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hsdpatterns-possibilities/message