Holoptic Foresight Dynamics: Directing Aspirational Futures through the Intentional Action of the Many-Membered “Whole”
It’s good to be back from my long blogging hiatus. I’ll spare you the details of why I haven’t blogged in such a long time; suffice it to say that I’ve been extremely busy. One good thing may come out of my blogging break – hopefully I’ve learned to make my posts shorter, while blogging more often. If I have too much to say in one post, I’ll save it for another day!
And now, on to a great example of the “multiple post theory”…
I recently spoke at the Transmillennial 2009 conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, where I introduced a broad futures concept that I have been developing which I am calling Holoptic Foresight Dynamics. HFD (as I will refer to the concept hereafter) is a strategic model that can help organizations, governmental entities, cultural institutions, and societies to become foresight competent – and even develop foresight expertise – as a part of their cultural dynamic and cosmological foundation. In other words, HFD creates an environment in which the cosmology of a group undergoes a drastic alteration, allowing for a clearer view of alternative and emerging futures (as well as preferable and visionary futures) that are born out of the creation of a holistic view of the organization. Or, as I wrote on Twitter recently in a discussion about the concept of HFD,
“Holoptic Foresight (Dynamics) creates a change of story from ‘many separates’ to ‘one whole,’ allowing for greater ability to be adaptive, flexible, and futures-fit.”
This idea is born out of my interest and work in Causal Layered Analysis, Spiral Dynamics, Integral Theory, Collective Intelligence, Networking Theory, Appreciative Inquiry, Action Logics, “Theory U,” “Swarming,” and of course, Strategic Foresight theory and methodology (As well as several other social and leadership evolutionary assessments and theories. – Edit: I’m adding Organizational Culture Assessments, Learning Environments, and Jaccaci’s “Metamatrix” as other human development methodologies that have reinforced this concept.) A broader and connected view of these ideas and models have helped me to see that Strategic Foresight – a vital construct in organizational development – functions best in an atmosphere where assumptions are uncovered (as an ongoing process), people are individually and collectively evolving toward a holistic purpose (though diversity at all levels remains intact, and is even fostered), and the system at work is accessible by all parties involved (a decentralized environment).
So, before I explain the basic idea behind HFD (and its larger application to multidisciplinary futures work), let me define “holopticism.” In it’s most basic definition, “holopticism” is:
“… a combination of Greek words holos (whole, holistic, all), optiké (vision), and tekhné (art, technique). It expresses the capacity for players in a given organization (or group) to perceive the emerging whole of that organization (or group) as if it were a unique entity, be it in a natural physical space or an online space (virtual)… A holoptical space is a space in which each participant gets a live perception of the ‘Whole.’ Each player, thanks to his/her experience and expertise, relates to this “Whole” in order to adjust his/her actions and coordinate them with others’ moves. Therefore there is an unceasing round trip, a feedback loop that works like a mirror between the individual level and the collective one… Holopticism – the link between individuals and the whole – provide players with the capacity to operate in a sovereign, independent (diverse) way because they know what to do for the sake of the whole and the sake of themselves. Therefore there is not only horizontal transparency (perception of every other participant in the organization or group), but also a vertical communication with the emerging ‘Whole.’”
In Part 2 of my explanation of HFD as an underlying, internal, organizational model for adapting better foresight understanding and practices, I’m going to discuss the evolutionary path toward holoptic social environments (“monopticism,” “panopticism,” “holopticism”), and begin to explain how holopticism can specifically impact futures work, creating a collective culture that leads to what I am calling “Holoptic Precognizance,” a state of operations that manifests a much greater degree of success in mapping and actualizing aspirational futures and organizational/social/global vision. Though no one can ever predict the future, there is a place in social and organizational evolution where the direction and purpose of the “Whole” can be seen by those involved, and where those involved in that “Whole” can adjust their thoughts and actions to allow the emerging future to come into being.
Dear Frank,
All good wishes in developing the holopticism model and concept. Your timing seems so very opt, that is to say, what better philosophy and methodology to espouse than one that invites and promotes “the whole” at a time when just about everything seems to be falling apart.
Noting that you have a special interest in the work of the late Dr. Clare W. Graves, the father of the spiral values model, And I heartily agree that psychological studies are a fertile domain for insights into the human experience and its progress and development.
To that end, I would like to make you aware of my latest book, The Mother of All Minds: Leaping Free of an Outdated Human Nature. My works on the Graves theory have been cited by some (such as the reader quoted below) as among the most readable, consistent and insightful popular introductions to Dr. Graves’ theory and model.
Here is that reader’s comments about The Mother of All Minds:
The Mother of All Minds is a fascinating, intricate and brilliant work, yet as readable as a good novel. It is both philosophically challenging and at the same time practically useful to people who are serious about wanting to grow and adapt to the new world we live in. I found it as impactful as a punch in the face but not without a sense of humour. Dudley Lynch may well be doing for Clare Grave’s theory what Daniel Goleman did for Emotional Intelligence.–Noel Odou,
Author of Magnificently Insignificant (Brolga, 2009), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
More on The Mother of All Minds here: http://www.brainmeup.com/moam.htm
And speaking of personality profiles, we have a number of powerful personal assessment tools used by some of the world’s best life and executive coaches based on the Graves theories, in particular, MindMaker6, and our online tool, Yo!Dolphin! Worldview Survey. More info here:
http://www.brainmeup.com
If you ever have any questions about our approach to all things Gravesean, don’t hesitate to drop me an e-mail.
Best regards,
Dudley Lynch
President
Brain Technologies Corporation
Gainesville, FL USA
http://www.brainmeup.com
Greetings Dudley
Thanks for your comments, and for the congrats from the “fellow and sister hope-timists” at Brain Technologies Corp / Brain Me Up! We’re so glad that the KedgeForward talent and energy shines through on our site, and plan on increasing that view with updated projects and portfolio additions in the near future. Having your encouragement is so inspiring, and your partnership is something that we already cherish!
Glad that you are enjoying the HFD series. It’s true that Dr. Grave’s work has had a strong influence on my thinking and practice, and I definitely look forward to reading “The Mother of All Minds.” Hopefully, we can have some future discussions on these methods and issues that would be beneficial to both of us!
Best Regards,
Frank
Hi Frank
I am interested to understand how your HFD theory plays out with regard to groups of people where there is no formal structure. In particular I am interested in how you see this applying to groups of peers who participate in information sharing at the edge of a network in the way that P2P file sharers operate – currently sharing entertainment. But in the near future I believe, this technology will provide a platform for a new kind of financial instrument, as well as localized trust societies for distribution of goods and services.
My business partner and I blog about some aspects of P2P at perceptric. But certainly intersted in your take on this.
Hi Chris,
Thanks so much for your comment; sorry for taking so long to get a reply back to you.
In quoting from your post “The (R)evolution That Is Coming Thanks To P2P”:
“The big idea here is that Darwin captured the concept of evolution and wrote about it, and ultimately was acknowledged for his ideas… But P2P is the Big Bang for humanity. We are in the early days of a huge expansion of consciousness and P2P will be the technology platform that gets us at least part of the way…”
I also believe that we are the “early days” of a shift in consciousness, and P2P is a panoptic type of framework that is helping us to make that leap. In P2P, there is not necessarily the creation of a “whole” as a unique entity, but rather a growing sense that something needs to be birthed that is beyond simply crowd-sourcing, open-sourcing, co-intelligence, and P2P development. This is no knock on P2P; rather, I see it as a gateway, a necessary step on the path to understanding the greater “whole.” And, platforms such as P2P are important in that it begins with the unveiling of individual diversity as key to creativity and innovation – 1+1=3. (The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.) In a pure holoptic environment, the emergence of the “whole” (purpose, direction) is not greater than the diversity that makes it possible, and vice-versa.
Ultimately, I will be demonstrating how the point of HFD is in the empowerment (through a holoptic environment) of foresight practices, allowing not only for convergence on a purpose, but for more dynamic and successful foresight strategy that moves an organization, society, or humanity in general toward aspirational vision. In other words, holopticism both creates a “whole” and an atmosphere in which the “parts” can see how the how the whole can successfully unfold and emerge, all the while benefiting the diversity of the parts. It’s a lovely thing!
Good job on the blog, keep up the good work – and much success to Perceptric! It’s great to have partners like you – if we can ever be of service, please let us know.
Frank