Theme
Nurturing relationships and building community
The relational side of complex social systems: the quality of relationships, community, collaboration and connection.
Start here
Reflective Relational Practice: Assessing and enhancing the quality of our relationshipsMy primary piece on reflective relational practice, with four dimensions of relationships and a participatory way of assessing them. (Mar 2025)Cross-pollination: Complexity, corruption and community gardeningHow stories and community can carry systems ideas more effectively than analytical reports. (Apr 2026)
Strands of work
★ marks pieces in Selected writing.
Reflective relational practice
See also the practice page.
- ★ Reflective Relational Practice - a video from the Local Systems Community (May 2025). A presentation on reflective relational practice, prepared for the USAID Local Systems Community.
- ★ Reflecting on the dynamics of complex social systems and joining some dots (Apr 2025). How relational practice, corruption and Dan Honig’s work on relational state capacity connect.
- ★ Weaving on the fly: Power, incentives, relationships and learning (video) (Apr 2025). A short video weaving power and incentives together with relationships and learning.
Community and connection
- ★ Relationships, co-learning and social change (Reflections on my October explorations) (Nov 2024). Reflections from a month of conversations, including on the compassionate, co-reflective approach to social change of the Tamkeen Community Foundation in Morocco.
- Making connections & nurturing community: Sussex Seaside Systems Socials (Sep 2024). Why I started the Sussex Seaside Systems Socials, and what nurturing connection has given me.
Also touching on this theme
Updates, and pieces mainly on other themes.
- “Where is the jungle?” (Part 5 of Complexity, corruption and change) (Jul 2025)
- ★ Nurturing living, loving & learning systems: Six months of resources and reflections (Jun 2025)
- Relationships, reflection and resources: Explorations and engagement for 2024 (Jan 2025)
- Complex social challenges and participatory systemic practices: February-ish explorations (Mar 2024)
- ★ loving systems (Jul 2023)
- ★ Awareness, resonance, engagement, reflection (intro) (Mar 2023)
- ★ Living, learning and loving systems (Feb 2023) (Feb 2023)
Topics in this theme
RelationshipsRelational practiceLearning systemsPowerCommunityLove and compassionPhilanthropy and fundersCorruptionComplexity
See also: all topics
Exploring this theme in your own work? I’d love to hear what you’re discovering. Let’s connect.