OpenSourceOD
Overview
Engaging Emergence, written by Peggy Holman, explores how organizations and communities can embrace disruption, uncertainty, and complexity to create positive change. Instead of resisting chaos or attempting to control it, Holman presents a mindset and set of practices for working with emergence—the process through which novel and unpredictable patterns arise from simple interactions.
The book is grounded in complexity theory, systems thinking, and participatory leadership, offering practical frameworks to help individuals and groups move beyond fear and resistance into creativity and transformation. Holman argues that emergence isn’t something to be controlled but engaged with skillfully, allowing new and better possibilities to emerge naturally.
At its core, Engaging Emergence is about creating conditions for change by fostering connection, inquiry, and shared meaning. It builds on dialogic organization development, appreciative inquiry, and open space technology—approaches that emphasize collaboration, inclusivity, and self-organization.
Holman lays out three guiding practices for engaging emergence:
Step In – Face disruption and uncertainty with openness and curiosity, rather than retreating into fear or rigid control.
Connect – Engage diverse perspectives, build trusting relationships, and seek shared meaning.
Act with Intention – Take small, intentional actions, embracing experimentation and adaptability rather than forcing rigid solutions.
Within these broad practices, she introduces four key principles that help leaders, facilitators, and changemakers engage emergence effectively:
Welcome Disturbance – View disruptions as potential sources of innovation rather than threats.
Pioneer Pathways – Be willing to try new approaches and learn from experimentation.
Encourage Multiple Ways of Knowing – Value intuition, storytelling, and embodied knowledge, alongside data and analysis.
Nurture Shared Purpose – Foster collaborative meaning-making, so people can align their actions around common aspirations.
Holman illustrates these ideas through stories, case studies, and practical exercises, showing how emergence has been engaged successfully in social movements, organizations, and communities. The book is a call to embrace complexity rather than resist it, offering hopeful and strategic ways to navigate uncertain terrain.
Why Engaging Emergence Matters Today
We live in a time of rapid and unpredictable change—climate crises, technological disruptions, shifting social norms, and global interconnectedness have created complex and adaptive challenges. Traditional approaches to leadership and problem-solving, which rely on prediction and control, are often inadequate in complex and evolving environments.
Engaging Emergence provides a framework for navigating uncertainty, particularly in organizations and communities experiencing systemic transformation. Whether in business, social activism, or community development, Holman’s work speaks to the need for adaptive, participatory, and emergent approaches to change.
Example: In organizational development, many companies are shifting from hierarchical structures to self-managed teams, recognizing that rigid top-down control can stifle innovation. Engaging Emergence offers insights into how leaders can foster conditions for collaborative problem-solving, allowing new ideas to emerge organically.
Beyond organizations, the book has relevance for broader societal change. Many of today’s most pressing issues—racial justice, climate action, economic inequality—require emergent, co-created solutions that come from bringing diverse voices together, experimenting with new approaches, and fostering collective wisdom.
Holman’s work challenges the idea that emergence is random or uncontrollable. Instead, she suggests that by engaging with emergence in intentional and skillful ways, we can create more meaningful, sustainable, and transformative change.
Conceptual Foundations of Engaging Emergence
The ideas in Engaging Emergence draw from multiple disciplines, including complexity science, organizational change, and participatory leadership. Below are three key conceptual traditions that underpin the book’s approach.
1. Complexity Theory and Self-Organization
Complexity theory explains how patterns emerge from simple interactions among independent agents. It is commonly used in biology, economics, and systems thinking to understand how order arises without central control.
Relevance to Engaging Emergence:
Organizations and communities are complex systems—small interactions can lead to large-scale shifts.
Emergence is natural—rather than resisting disruption, we should create conditions that support healthy self-organization.
Example: In open-source technology communities, new innovations emerge not from a single leader but through decentralized contributions and experimentation.
2. Dialogic Organization Development (OD)
Dialogic OD is an approach to organizational change that focuses on shaping the conversations that shape the system. Unlike diagnostic OD, which assumes that problems are solvable through expert-driven interventions, dialogic OD emphasizes emergent, co-created solutions.
Relevance to Engaging Emergence:
Change happens through conversation, meaning-making, and relationships.
Diversity of thought leads to stronger, more adaptive solutions.
Example: A corporate culture transformation initiative that uses world café dialogues to engage employees in shaping the company’s future direction.
3. Appreciative Inquiry and Strength-Based Change
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a strength-based approach to change that focuses on what works well rather than diagnosing deficits and problems. It encourages people to ask generative questions, envision positive futures, and build on existing strengths.
Relevance to Engaging Emergence:
Focusing on possibilities rather than problems creates momentum for emergent change.
Encouraging multiple ways of knowing (stories, metaphors, and experiences) helps make sense of complexity.
Example: In a community-led education initiative, rather than focusing on what’s failing in schools, AI helps communities identify and amplify successful learning practices.
Guiding Principles of Engaging Emergence
Holman’s work is grounded in several guiding principles that help people and organizations engage with emergence effectively:
Embrace Uncertainty with Curiosity: Shift from fear to inquiry when facing disruption.
Foster Connection and Participation: Engage diverse voices and perspectives.
Support Adaptive Action: Take small, intentional steps and adjust based on what emerges.
Encourage Collective Meaning-Making: Create shared narratives that help people navigate change together.
Trust the Process: Recognize that emergence cannot be controlled, only nurtured.
Holman’s Engaging Emergence is not a rigid methodology but a way of seeing and working with change. By applying complexity thinking, dialogic approaches, and participatory leadership, organizations and communities can harness the power of emergence rather than being overwhelmed by it.
The book provides a hopeful, strategic, and deeply practical approach for those seeking to navigate complexity, lead change, and engage with the unknown in more effective and life-affirming ways.
Uses & Benefits
Organizational Uses of Engaging Emergence
Organizations operate in increasingly complex environments, where traditional change management approaches—based on prediction and control—often fail. Engaging Emergence offers a different way to navigate uncertainty, disruption, and transformation, helping organizations harness emergent change rather than resist it.
This approach is particularly valuable for:
Organizational change initiatives where the future is uncertain.
Leadership development programs that require adaptability and collaboration.
Innovation efforts that depend on creativity and decentralized problem-solving.
Community development projects where multiple stakeholders must co-create solutions.
Below are specific organizational challenges and opportunities where Engaging Emergence is especially useful.
1. Leading Change in Uncertain Environments
Challenge: Traditional change models assume linear progress and predictable solutions, which rarely work in complex and rapidly shifting landscapes.
Application: Engaging Emergence helps leaders and facilitators step into uncertainty with curiosity, invite diverse perspectives, and co-create new possibilities.
Example: A global nonprofit facing an unexpected policy shift used emergent dialogue methods to gather input from diverse stakeholders, leading to a more adaptive and responsive strategy.
2. Breaking Down Silos and Encouraging Collaboration
Challenge: Many organizations struggle with siloed teams, where departments operate in isolation, reducing innovation and adaptability.
Application: Engaging Emergence encourages cross-functional connections, participatory decision-making, and knowledge-sharing.
Example: A tech company used world café conversations to bring together engineering, marketing, and customer support teams, leading to greater alignment and breakthrough ideas.
3. Developing Adaptive and Resilient Leaders
Challenge: Many leadership programs focus on static skill development rather than adaptive capacity.
Application: Engaging Emergence trains leaders to navigate complexity, trust emergence, and foster participatory leadership.
Example: A financial services firm redesigned its leadership development to include open-ended inquiry sessions, preparing leaders to respond effectively to disruption.
4. Encouraging Inclusive and Participatory Decision-Making
Challenge: In traditional decision-making, leaders impose solutions rather than co-creating responses with those affected.
Application: Engaging Emergence fosters shared meaning-making, allowing stakeholders to contribute insights and shape decisions collectively.
Example: A municipal government applied engagement principles to city planning discussions, resulting in greater public trust and more innovative solutions.
5. Supporting Innovation and Creativity in Organizations
Challenge: Rigid processes and top-down structures often stifle innovation, preventing new ideas from emerging organically.
Application: Engaging Emergence promotes experimentation, iteration, and embracing failure as part of learning.
Example: A pharmaceutical company introduced emergent innovation labs, where employees could explore new ideas without pre-defined outcomes, leading to several unexpected breakthroughs.
Benefits of Using Engaging Emergence
By applying the principles of Engaging Emergence, organizations can experience multiple benefits:
1. Increases Organizational Adaptability and Resilience
Benefit: Organizations learn to respond flexibly to unexpected challenges, rather than relying on rigid plans that may become obsolete.
Example: A university undergoing major funding cuts used emergent strategies to reorganize programs while maintaining mission alignment.
2. Fosters Greater Employee Engagement and Participation
Benefit: Employees feel valued and heard when they participate in co-creating solutions, leading to higher morale and commitment.
Example: A manufacturing company introduced emergent decision-making practices, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover.
3. Enhances Innovation and Creativity
Benefit: Encouraging openness to new possibilities leads to more creative and unexpected solutions.
Example: A design firm applied emergent principles in a client collaboration project, leading to a groundbreaking approach that exceeded expectations.
4. Builds Stronger Relationships and Trust
Benefit: Engaging emergence fosters honest dialogue and collaboration, breaking down hierarchical barriers.
Example: A hospital system used emergence-based dialogue methods to resolve conflicts between physicians and administrators, improving organizational trust and efficiency.
5. Supports Systemic Change Efforts
Benefit: Engaging emergence is highly effective in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, such as social movements, policy change efforts, and large-scale organizational transformations.
Example: A grassroots climate organization leveraged emergent organizing to mobilize communities effectively, achieving greater impact than traditional top-down activism.
Engaging Emergence is a powerful approach for navigating complex challenges, fostering collaboration, and supporting transformational change. By shifting from control-based strategies to emergence-based engagement, organizations can unlock greater creativity, resilience, and alignment in today’s fast-changing world.
OD Application
Case Study 1: Healthcare Organization – Using Emergence to Improve Patient Care
Challenge:
A large healthcare system was struggling with high patient dissatisfaction scores, particularly around communication and care coordination. Despite implementing structured policies, the system wasn’t adapting quickly enough to meet evolving patient needs.
How Engaging Emergence Was Applied:
Welcoming Disturbance:
Leadership acknowledged that traditional top-down management approaches were not working.
Instead of forcing predetermined solutions, they invited diverse voices—patients, nurses, doctors, and administrators—to engage in open dialogue.
Connecting Diverse Perspectives:
Facilitators hosted structured yet emergent dialogues using Appreciative Inquiry and World Café methods to uncover hidden pain points and opportunities.
These conversations revealed systemic issues that had previously been overlooked, such as gaps in handoff communication between departments.
Acting with Intention:
Instead of creating a rigid, one-size-fits-all policy, leadership experimented with small pilots, allowing emergent solutions to surface.
For example, interdisciplinary rounds were introduced—where doctors, nurses, and social workers met daily to align care plans for complex patients.
Outcomes:
Patient satisfaction scores improved by 35% within a year.
Staff engagement increased, as nurses and doctors felt heard and empowered.
Cost savings were achieved by reducing unnecessary tests and improving care coordination.
Case Study 2: Technology Company – Driving Innovation Through Emergence
Challenge:
A fast-growing tech company was losing its innovative edge due to rigid internal processes. Employees felt disconnected from strategic decisions, and creativity was declining.
How Engaging Emergence Was Applied:
Welcoming Disturbance:
Leadership recognized that traditional hierarchical decision-making was slowing innovation.
Instead of mandating a new process, they created space for emergent solutions by removing bureaucratic barriers.
Connecting Diverse Perspectives:
The company launched self-organized innovation labs, where cross-functional teams could collaborate on experimental projects without needing top-down approval.
Employees from engineering, marketing, and customer support worked together to explore new ideas and test prototypes rapidly.
Acting with Intention:
Instead of setting strict success metrics, leadership encouraged iterative learning and celebrated small failures as learning opportunities.
New ideas were tested in small-scale pilots, allowing successful concepts to gain momentum organically.
Outcomes:
The company launched three successful new products, inspired by ideas that emerged from the self-organized teams.
Employee engagement and retention improved, as workers felt more empowered and connected to the company’s vision.
The organization became more adaptive, embedding emergence-based problem-solving into its culture.
Case Study 3: Nonprofit Organization – Harnessing Emergence for Community Engagement
Challenge:
A nonprofit focused on environmental advocacy faced declining community engagement. Traditional outreach efforts, such as emails and public meetings, were not inspiring grassroots action.
How Engaging Emergence Was Applied:
Welcoming Disturbance:
Instead of blaming external factors (e.g., apathy, lack of resources), the nonprofit acknowledged that their engagement model needed to evolve.
They invited community members, activists, and local leaders into open-ended discussions about how to co-create more impactful initiatives.
Connecting Diverse Perspectives:
The nonprofit used Open Space Technology, allowing participants to self-organize around topics they cared about most.
This approach shifted the power dynamics, making community members active co-creators rather than passive participants.
Acting with Intention:
Instead of launching one large campaign, the organization supported multiple small, community-driven initiatives, allowing the most effective ideas to gain traction naturally.
They experimented with neighborhood-based sustainability projects, where local volunteers could propose and lead their own climate solutions.
Outcomes:
Community engagement increased by over 50%, as people felt more ownership of the initiatives.
Several new grassroots projects emerged, including urban gardening programs and energy-saving initiatives.
The nonprofit gained new partnerships and funding, as their emergent approach attracted local businesses and government support.
Key Takeaways from These Case Studies:
Engaging Emergence transforms problem-solving by shifting from control-based strategies to participatory, emergent approaches.
Small, experimental actions can lead to significant breakthroughs, as seen in the healthcare, technology, and nonprofit sectors.
Welcoming disturbance and connecting diverse voices allows new, creative solutions to emerge that would have been impossible under rigid planning models.
These case studies demonstrate that Engaging Emergence is not about abandoning structure, but rather creating the right conditions for new solutions to arise naturally. By applying these principles, organizations can become more adaptive, resilient, and innovative in uncertain environments.
Facilitation
Step-by-Step Guide to Facilitating Engaging Emergence
Facilitating Engaging Emergence requires a shift from traditional, control-based leadership to creating conditions where emergence can naturally unfold. This means welcoming uncertainty, connecting diverse voices, and acting with intention while remaining flexible. Below is a step-by-step approach to guiding individuals, teams, and organizations through an Engaging Emergence process.
Step 1: Setting the Stage for Emergence
Before engaging in emergent dialogue or decision-making, facilitators must create an environment that allows new patterns to emerge.
Clarify Purpose Without Over-Defining Outcomes
State the broad goal while leaving room for unexpected insights.
Example: “We’re here to explore how we can improve cross-team collaboration. We don’t have predefined solutions, but we trust that new possibilities will emerge through our engagement.
Create Psychological Safety
Encourage openness to ambiguity by stating that not knowing is okay.
Establish ground rules for deep listening, respect, and non-judgment.
Invite a Diversity of Perspectives
Bring in people with different roles, backgrounds, and experiences to broaden insights.
Encourage including those who may feel unheard or marginalized.
Facilitator’s Opening Statement Example: "Today, we’re stepping into a conversation without a fixed solution in mind. Our goal is to welcome new possibilities by listening deeply, sharing openly, and trusting that the best way forward will emerge through our collective insights."
Step 2: Welcoming Disturbance and Embracing Uncertainty
Disruption is a catalyst for emergence. Rather than avoiding or controlling uncertainty, facilitators help groups lean into it with curiosity and openness.
Frame Disruption as an Opportunity
Ask: “What unexpected challenges or changes are we currently facing?”
Reframe resistance by exploring: “What possibilities could this challenge be inviting us into?”
Use Storytelling to Explore Uncertainty
Have participants share personal stories about times when uncertainty led to unexpected breakthroughs.
Example: “Think of a time when something didn’t go as planned, but led to a positive result. What happened?”
Encourage Multiple Ways of Knowing
Invite head, heart, and gut-level responses—some people process analytically, others through emotions or intuition.
Example: Use visual metaphors—“If our challenge were a landscape, what would it look like?”
Facilitator Tip: Instead of forcing certainty, use phrases like:
“Let’s sit with this uncertainty for a moment—what are we noticing?”
“What’s bubbling up that we might not have seen before?”
Step 3: Connecting Diverse Perspectives and Fostering Dialogue
Engaging Emergence thrives on interconnection. Facilitators create spaces for generative conversations that allow new insights to emerge organically.
Use Dialogic Practices to Surface Collective Wisdom
World Café: Rotating small group discussions where new insights build on previous conversations.
Open Space Technology: Let participants self-organize discussions on topics they are passionate about.
Circle Process: A structured dialogue where each person shares and listens deeply.
Ask Generative Questions to Spark Emergence
“What’s possible here that we haven’t yet considered?”
“What’s shifting in how we see this situation?”
“If we trusted emergence, what would we do next?”
Encourage Deep Listening and Reflection
Have participants pause before responding, letting ideas simmer and take shape.
Example: After someone shares, invite others to reflect: “What stood out for you in what was just said?”
Facilitator Tip: When conversations feel messy or chaotic, remind participants:
“This is part of the process—new ideas often emerge from complexity.”
“Let’s trust that clarity will come as we stay engaged.”
Step 4: Acting with Intention While Remaining Flexible
Once new insights and possibilities emerge, facilitators guide the group in translating them into action—but without forcing rigid plans.
Encourage Small, Adaptive Actions
Ask: “What’s one small step we can take right now to explore this possibility?”
Frame action as an experiment, not a fixed plan—“Let’s try this and see what emerges.”
Use Prototyping and Iteration
Encourage rapid experiments rather than long-term planning.
Example: Instead of restructuring a department all at once, try pilot projects in one team and adjust based on feedback.
Balance Structure with Flexibility
Provide a framework for accountability while keeping space open for change.
Example: Instead of assigning strict roles, define shared responsibilities that allow for adaptability.
Facilitator Prompt: "What would it look like to move forward with a spirit of learning and curiosity?"
How to Introduce Engaging Emergence to a Client
Email Introduction to a Client
Subject: Engaging Emergence for Transformational Change
Dear [Client's Name],
In times of uncertainty and complexity, traditional planning approaches often fall short. Instead of resisting disruption, Engaging Emergence offers a way to embrace uncertainty as a source of creativity and transformation.
This approach helps organizations:
✔ Navigate change more effectively by fostering adaptability.
✔ Engage diverse voices to generate breakthrough insights.
✔ Encourage participatory leadership that builds trust and collaboration.
I’d love to explore how this approach could support your organization’s current challenges. Let’s set up a time to discuss how Engaging Emergence can help your team navigate complexity with confidence.
Best, [Your Name]
Facilitator’s Talking Points for In-Person Introduction
“Emergence happens whether we plan for it or not—our choice is whether we engage with it intentionally.”
“This isn’t about throwing away structure, but about learning to work with uncertainty in a way that reveals new possibilities.”
“Rather than trying to control change, we create the conditions where new solutions can naturally emerge.”
“By welcoming diverse perspectives, fostering dialogue, and taking small adaptive actions, we build more resilient and innovative organizations.”
10 Questions a Facilitator Can Ask to Spark Insight
What shifts when we see uncertainty as an invitation rather than a threat?
How can we better listen to what is emerging in our teams and communities?
What’s a challenge we are currently facing that could be an opportunity for growth?
What voices are missing in our decision-making processes?
How can we create spaces for more generative conversations?
What assumptions do we need to question in order to invite new possibilities?
Where have we seen emergence lead to unexpected positive outcomes in the past?
How can we experiment with small actions rather than waiting for the perfect solution?
What is trying to happen here that we haven’t yet noticed?
How do we move forward with both intention and openness to what emerges?
By facilitating Engaging Emergence, organizations and communities become more adaptive, inclusive, and innovative. Instead of trying to control outcomes, they learn to trust emergence, allowing for transformational breakthroughs that could not have been predicted or forced into existence.