U.lab magazine
2018
This is the second edition of the u.lab multi-media magazine. As you scroll through, you can click on almost any picture or text in the document to access more info, including videos, blogs, articles and more. In this magazine you will find a variety of information about u.lab, including some of the most interesting stories and first-hand accounts of impact. You will also learn more about recent research projects, meet the faces of the community, and learn all about next steps for 2018. We hope you enjoy reading it, The u.lab team
Introduction U.lab is a platform that blends new tech tools, social change processes, and multi-local community building efforts. It aims to catalyze and scale societal renewal. Today’s challenges call for profound innovation across all societal sectors. Rethinking, reinventing and evolving the way we operate in our society requires a profound shift in how we think, engage and act; activating the intelligence of the head, heart, and hands.
Presencing Institute The Presencing Institute (PI) is an awareness-based action-research community for systems-change led by Otto Scharmer. It launched the first ‘MITx u.lab in 2015 and has since activated a global ecosystem of societal and personal renewal involving more than 100,000 users from 185 countries.
Why people join u.lab:
a compilation of participants intentions. Moving beyond Trump, regenerating our civilization: a contemplation on 2017 and the forces for moving into the global leadership void.
The magic of u.lab
There are at least three additional mechanisms that make u.lab more than just another online course, and that help participants connect with people all over the world and within their local community.
1
Live sessions
In addition to the course content, u.lab conducts live sessions during which the global community participates simultaneously. This creates an opportunity to interact with the course faculty and to live a shared experience with like-minded people around the world.
2
Coaching circles
These are a very effective u.lab method for moving people from concept to action (from theory to practice). A coaching circle is a group of about five u.lab participants who meet virtually or physically for 75 minutes each week to practice deep listening and support each other in developing new ways of approaching their current leadership challenges. u.lab 2017 counted 361 of those coaching circles, and many of them are still continuing beyond the course.
Check out “u.lab Office Hours Live #1”: the newest mechanism to engage with the community and the team.
3
Hubs
Hubs allow you to connect with u.lab participants in your city/sector/organization and experience the course together. Hubs are spontaneous, participant-initiated and driven, and benefit from some support and guidance provided by the u.lab team. This is a unique opportunity to learn together, develop connections, and possibly even work on a particular challenge you all care about and wish to tackle. u.lab 2017 counted around 400 hubs, (along with hundreds of ‘older hubs.’) All together we have over 900 registered hubs all around the world.
Some examples of Hubs The Dutch Government The Netherlands used this year’s u.lab for capacity-building with participants from different departments as a way to prepare for 2018. In this year they will run a 4.0 lab focusing on The future of Farming and join u.lab again in September when the new course starts. To continue the capacity-building, while applying U-principles in the complex challenges they are dealing with:
Enova Energy, Australia is using u.lab to explore how to scale up a start-up enterprise for generating community-based renewable energy in Australia. The team took the u.lab course to prepare to apply u.lab principles starting in January, in view of their June milestone.
Italy After participating in u.lab since 2015, something interesting is happening in Italy! We saw the hubs reaching out towards each other and becoming one self-organizing community: And here is a great video which they use to spark people’s interest:
The Caracas u.lab hub Venezuela received a grant from Barrett Values Fund in order to facilitate a u.lab-based program in education communities. The idea behind the program is to select a group of five people from each community and to give them the u.lab tools and practices, in order to form them as seeds for social change in their communities:
Faces of the community Click the faces to read more:
Moment of Origin A great clip from 2011: when the global u.lab was born without us even noticing it… Overview of the first Presencing Institute Global Forum 2011 in Cambridge US.
Communities4Change
On Monday January 29th, Presencing Institute and Impact Hub kicked off the C4C innovation journey towards more inclusive cities. The 6 Impact Hubs (Baltimore, Boulder, Seattle, Budapest, Harare, and Shanghai) and more or less 20 key stakeholders per city started an 8-week prototyping journey during which they will
Meetup Tokyo Julie Arts spent a day with the u.lab community from Tokyo, Japan. A gathering to meet and share each of their projects with an intention to co-create emerging future.
run a facilitated learning - and innovation process around the shared theme of “INCLUSIVE CITIES”, using u.lab. Click here for the press release. Follow their journey on Facebook.
Hub Host Support Hubs are helping people to translate insights into action, as well as to co-create with others. The physical space enhances the typical MOOC experience by providing group support for self-organized learning and co-creation. At a local level, hubs can help connect people around common interests. At a global level, the various hubs from around the world will be part of a network of hub hosts that exchange insights, experiences and knowledge. We see hub hosts as a crucial leverage point in supporting community empowerment through the growth and sustainability of u-practices.
• Monthly newsletters You can subscribe by clicking here
• Regular hub host calls • SPT support for hub hosts
From intention to impact Here you can find some interesting prototypes and outcomes of u.lab:
• Italy: Pairing young migrants and young Italians • USA: Rural poverty / Educational Equity • Netherlands: Project Cauliflower • Brazil: creating a culture of deep listening in the newsroom • Life with Ease for busy women as a personal prototype example, starting with a FB invite. • Brazil: deep social transformation happening in São Carlos, Sancta Hub Experience • Summary of Findings: U.lab Scotland Impact Stories • Lauren Cutler from FolkSoul (Oregon) created a prototype for the Round Table of Management. Through u.lab they discerned which roles were most important for the organization and they took it into an archetypal form for organization.
• Apply here for Hub Host Program 2018
Connect with the Hub Host Community: • Facebook • Community site
Any questions or suggestions? Contact Julie Arts & Simoon Fransen.
• Diana: sustainable development change manager in Welsh Government has been using theory U and u.lab as a way of continuously prototyping a programme to transform the behaviour of 5000 civil servants who work for the Welsh Government so that Wales is able to become a sustainable nation. • Australia/Asia-Pacific region: The Fire of U.lab; u.lab continues to inspire various initiatives here through capacity building and strengthened human connections.
Research
One of the exciting developments in 2017 was the emergence of a number of research projects and prototypes. The SPT research group, whose work has been ongoing for the last 18 months, partnered with the Stuart Foundation to undertake an action research project in an LA high school. Exploring how SPT can help create generative learning systems, they used video to help students see themselves and narrate their embodied experiences.
Another prototype was a learning survey developed with the dual purpose of amplifying participant learning and helping the u.lab community see & sense its own journey. The survey was completed at the beginning of u.lab 1x, at the end, and will be made available again three months after the end of the course. After each round, u.lab participants came together to review the results and collectively make sense of our process. After inviting researchers in the community to get in touch in the first Live Session, a U.lab Research Network was formed to help make connections, share research, and co-create a body of knowledge about social field change. The network recently came together for its first ‘research sharing & dialogue’ gathering.
Mapping prototype 8 Diverse hubs were invited to participate in a network mapping of relationships in & between hubs and their evolution over the course of u.lab. Completing a survey linked to mapping software: 1. allowed the hubs, as systems, to see themselves, and 2. enabled the u.lab community to identify meaningful connections to help them to realize their highest potential. Explore the map by clicking on an individual or by using the selectors on top/at the bottom of the map. Click the map and use password:
u.labSocialField
Do you feel attracted to get involved in u.lab research?
New Books
Feel free to get in touch with Eva Pomeroy. The Essence of Generative Scribing by Kelvy Bird
The Essentials of Theory U: Core Principles and Applications by Otto Scharmer
Recording of the Generative Scribing book launch, hosted by Otto Scharmer
A useful pocket guide that distills all of the research and materials found in Otto Scharmer’s seminal texts Theory U and Leading from the Emerging Future.
What’s next… Upcoming events & important dates Transforming Capitalism Lab
In April 2018, together with our partners at HuffPost, we are launching The Transforming Capitalism Lab (TCL) , an 18 month journey that offers opportunities for you and your network to get inspired, connect with others across the world and engage in action. More info:
Ubuntu.Lab
Ubuntu.Lab, a six-month applied online-offline learning program, aspiring to activate thousands of African change makers across the continent to co-shape African’s future. Hubs will be the key structure of Ubuntu.Lab. Do you want to host a hub in your local context? Sign up for the facilitators training that starts in April?
BLOCKS
BUILDING
5
More info:
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2
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Cross-Sector Innovation Labs
Cross-Intelligence Capacity Building
Awareness-Based Action Research: Deep Data Imaging
CLICK ON THE BLOCKS TO READ MORE
4 A Community of Eco-System Catalysts
Bold Initiatives to Actualize the New University
5
Places, Platforms, and Practices for Making the System Sense Itself
While Otto Scharmer has been holding the vision of such a new university for some years, it is only now that he feels it is completely doable. To advance the journey toward realizing it, we—the core team of the u.lab and Presencing Institute community—will launch five major initiatives throughout 2018. Read all about it:
If you like what you have been reading and you would like to help grow and sustain u.lab going forward, we invite you to make a donation today. Any amount is deeply appreciated, small or large, according to your means. 100% of all donations will go toward making new u.lab offerings and resources available for you and future participants in the months ahead. Thank you for joining in on our global crowdfunding campaign!
Want to join one of our coming offline programs?
Otto and the u.lab team
Hub Host Program
Presencing Foundation Program Berlin, Germany: July 2 - 6, 2018
Fremantle, Australia: July 9 - 13, 2018 Cape Cod, US: October 28 - November 1, 2018 Oxford, UK: November 26 - 30, 2018
Visual Practice Programs
Toronto, Canada: April 11 - 13, 2018 Rungsted, Denmark: July 26 - 28, 2018 April 12 - 14, 2018
Social Presencing Theater
SPT Advanced Training Berlin, Germany: March 2018 - March 2019 SPT Basic Training Berlin, Germany: September 15 - 16, 2018 Stay tuned for information about registration. SPT Basic Training Boston, US November 2 - 3, 2018
Leadership Development for Values-based Banking Leadership Academy global: March 2018 - October 2018