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  • From: Mark on Gmail <markwolfe.mail@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] hierarchies and networks
  • Date: Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:10:26 -0400

Cory and others-

I have struggled with this concept as well, and often felt natural affinity toward the idea of "leaderless organization". My notion of hierarchy also connoted inequity and the like, but I don't think it is necessarily the case when you look at it from the perspective the new research coming out. The Gladwell piece in the New Yorker was very relevant and helpful to get the conversation going, but others a little more akin to the permaculture movement have already started to look into such matters. Joseph Tainter and a long time colleague and botanist at have developed the ideas of "hierarchy theory." Also, Thomas W. Hoekstra has been ahead of the game on this to in his book, "Toward a unified ecology." Tainter and Hoekstra's book "Supply-side sustainability" touches greatly on the topic of hierarchies too.

Great discussion!

-Mark


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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2010 04:43:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: Cory Brennan<cory8570@yahoo.com>
To: permaculture<permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [permaculture] hierarchies and networks
Message-ID:<407183.50431.qm@web52607.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

This is a great analysis of some of the potential and existing problems in
hierarchies.

I've observed the "king in his own corner" phenomena as well. Maybe there is some kind
of instinctual thing, like top predators have, of defending one's own territory and keeping it
separate from that of others. But on the other hand, I don't think anyone would argue that we
tend to be herd animals - tribal for thousands of years. Many herds have "alpha"
animals, those that rise to the top of the hierarchy based on skill sets or ability to dominate.
But others are more organic, allowing one animal to lead, then another. Geese in a flock,
dolphins, and others.

Studying leadership paradigms in the natural world has been helpful for me to
get out of the box on how hierarchies can work. Some key elements to keeping
the organization responsive are observing the system, willingness to accept
self-regulation and feedback and creatively responding to change. Diversity
and beneficial connection (along with accepting feedback) help one understand
what the organization is actually doing, by getting multiple viewpoints of
it. Each principle has particular applications for leadership.

Sometimes it could appear that some aspects of our instinctual nature are at
war with our ability to reason. Where is the line drawn between fighting one
another for territory, and cooperating?

Cory






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