Narratives with power

Narratives have power – which one do you choose? https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_sincere-irony-post-appreciation-of-art-activity-7366014464766201858-LMEe

There are narratives which inflate: ‘one amongst you is the Boddhisattva’.

They invite and speak to hope, wholeness, the possibility that we already have what we need.

There are narratives which deflate: ‘you can take the girl out of the small town’… the takedown. It keeps us honest, and sometimes just small. A reminder of belittling power.

The third type holds both the cringe and the transcendent, the cynicism and the idealism, the realisation of the layer of the transactional, disreputable, unbearable which underlies the glorious, powerful and enlightening.

And that the combination might in itself be hilarious.

I turned 50 on Sunday – a nice day with dog, family, beach.

I’m tempted by and play with the first type of narrative. It’s a lovely, poetic vision of joy and wholism – and in some way unbelievable. The second is my heritage, in my bones, the nasty biting evaluation that brings people down a peg or two (or, at least, refactors my jealousy into something I can cope with) – not attractive, depressive.

It’s the third, I think, that captures the reality of life – at least as I’m able to positive contend with it.

This is the stance I keep trying to practice.

And, of course, the dog has no truck with any such things.

A humility check: I told my wife that, after the roast I made and all the cooking over the long weeked, we were out of both olive oil and butter, so it might be difficult to have our eggs this morning.

‘Well, we have mayonnaise’ she said. Quick as a flash, I said ‘you can’t cook with mayonnaise!’… useful to have regular reminders that I’m constantly trapped in my own framings, and I’m really not that bright…

If I can descend into the mundane for a minute, I think this is the way I approach ‘transformation’ and has come through in the design for the tailored level 7 systems thinking practitioner appretinceship, ‘leadinng and commissioning for cutcomes in complexity: convening systems change.’

It definitely informs my approach to consulting – and I’m talking on systems consulting at the SCiO #SysPrac25 systems practice conference next week.

It’s those two things that I’m attempting to be a performing pony for today (hey, at least it’s not B2B SAAS), so the obligatory links are in the comments 🙂

Next time you see a model, a heartfelt Medium thinkpiece, or a forensic take-down, try to play with seeing through these three lenses. See which one resonates.

Which one is a natural for you?

Systems practice conference 3-4 September 20205, MiltonKeynes https://www.systemspractice.org/SYSPRAC25

And for info on the new level 7 apprenticeship – with levy funding for start until the end of the year – drop an email to info@publicservicetransformation.org or go to https://www.publicservicetransformation.org/level-7-apprenticeship-course-leading-and-commissioning-for-outcomes-in-complexity-convening-systems-change-free-webinar-on-20-august-2025-1230pm-uk-time/