Transformation made easier, more fun & less lonely!

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By Esther Barfoot

The Netherlands and the world are in the midst of a polycrisis, an accumulation of crises that interlock and reinforce each other in many ways. But necessary change – or transformation – is still só slow to come about. Not only in politics, but also in our companies and organisations. It is driving idealistic professionals nuts! Perhaps you too?

It is precisely at the level of companies and organisations that we can bring about so much positive change. But much of this ability to change remains unused. Perhaps, you recognise this. Perhaps in your organisation or company, it also seems as if the transformation that is vital to be able to continue living together on this planet healthily, safely and enjoyably is mainly regarded as a burden by your colleagues. Something they aren’t given time or budget for… Which, is more your desire than of general importance.

 

I can help you

However, I help you drive and accelerate this transformation or idealistic, complex change and make it inspiring again – for you and your colleagues. Thus, the drudgery of transition becomes easier, more fun and a lot less lonely! For everyone. I do this in a number of ways:

  • In need of transformation communication? I can help you regain momentum in the transformation and complex change with ACTIVISTIC COMMUNICATION.
  • I can help you CREATE A MOVEMENT within your organisation or company. Or beyond the walls of your organisation or company; in your industry or city.
  • I give INSPIRATION lectures on the above.
  • I give WORKSHOPS on many different aspects of the above.

Is this you?

Are you an organisational consultant, organisational development advisor, change manager, corporate leader, sustainability leader, SDG officer, chief communications officer, communications professional, HR professional, corporate activist or something completely different? And do you think change is getting off the ground way too slowly?

 

I will tell you more below.

 

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1. ACTIVIST COMMUNICATION

In change and transition communication is so important. Also: a new world demands new communication. But few communication professionals seem to deeply understand this. They often seem more preoccupied with sustaining the existing order, than with promoting and helping along transition and complex change. Over the past ten years, I developed: Activist Communication. A communication geared towards supporting transformation. No more communications as usual!

 

Tip: the images on this page are photo sliders. Click on the right side of the photo and you will see more!

 

 


 

Dysfunctional worldview

We didn’t get into this poly-mess by accident. Over the centuries, we have collectively constructed a pretty dysfunctional worldview, which – in short – consists of the idea that the world, nature and all peoples exist purely for the exploitation by human beings. And especially white human beings. And especially the white, Western, physically healthy, heterosexual, CIS-gender male human beings. In addition, we have come to think that we humans in essence are money wolves. And that everything is a machine – to be taken apart in parts and explained linearly.

 

As we know, this way of thinking is seriously getting in our way and is rapidly ruining our world. And although the latter aspect may seem less serious, it is not. Because linear issues and systems function in a completely different way from complex issues and systems. And almost everything we hold dear – our bodies, our society, our ecosystems; they are all complex systems. And all the extreme challenges we struggle with, ditto. By stubbornly sticking to our linear approach on them, we only create more chaos.

 


 

Working towards a new, desired order

The same applies to our communications. Few communication departments seem to be schooled in complexity theory. They often operate from the dominant paradigm of linear logic and command and control, rather than from a paradigm of complexity and of discovery and experimentation. As a result, whether they like it or not, these professionals are often more concerned with maintaining, protecting and defending the existing order than contributing to the new world.

 

And my experience is: not many communication departments are aware of this. Do you recognise this: if you ask your communications department for transition communications or communications to support a complex change, you get traditional change communications. The communication that we have churning out forever at reorganisations – in the name of greater efficiency, process optimisation and profit maximisation. Which is really something quite different! If you then tell your colleagues of the communication department that it is something else you need, the confusion only increases.

 


 

Of course, there are exceptions. Communication specialists who do get it. Who have taken a course in complexity or Theory U, or intuitively understand that their department’s current approach is no longer appropriate and that things have to change. But how? They are often still exploring this. Or, they are experimenting, but feel misunderstood or even experience opposition from their colleagues.

 

Artist’s mindset

Activist Communication originates from a fresh, new worldview compared to mainstream communication and operates on the basis of very different principles, including the working principles of complexity.

 

Activist Communication stands among innovators and is based on co-creation. On what is emergent instead of compulsory. On discovering the future together. On equality and the idea that everyone can contribute. On experiment and learning from it. On a lot of creativity and art.

 


 

Activist Communication combines social engagement with complexity theory, communication techniques and an artist’s mindset for the benefit of a corporate or professional context.

 

I help you create an innovative, energetic communication that connects people and advances transition and complex change. A method that I have developed over the past decade and with which I have achieved good results in influential organisations. (You can see which ones at the bottom of this page, and elsewhere on this website).

 

Of course, I involve the communications department in your organisation or company in this process. They are an important partner.

 

You can also hire me for a ‘contagious’ inspiration talk to motivate more colleagues with these ideas.

 

Fancy a chat? Mail, call or app me.

06-47586113

estherbarfoot@gmail.com

 

Below I tell more about my other specialisation: helping you create a movement in your company or organisation.

 

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2. CREATING A MOVEMENT IN YOUR ORGANISATION

Perhaps you recognise yourself in the idealistically driven professional who gets fed up with how slow necessary change or transition comes about – also in your organisation. Maybe you feel misunderstood by your colleagues. Perhaps you are sometimes a bit lost on the road ahead: how should I approach this change or transition? How do I get people on board?

 


 

More or less by chance, I discovered Activist Communication about a decade ago. You can read about this above. Then, Activist Communication morphed into something else: a change strategy which helps you literally create a movement on your shop floor. Or across the walls of your organisation or company. It is a way to initiate or accelerate idealistic, complex change or transition within governments, civil organisations, companies or industries. And above all: it makes transformation easier, more fun and less lonely!

 

Free-range zone

This is how it works: nobody has the roadmap of transition. The road is unpredictable, curvy and is best discovered together. Indeed, navigating complexity requires many different people (or parties) to contribute their knowledge, skills, experiences, ideas and actions. A movement encourages this, because it stimulates many-way traffic. It is a free-range zone, where experimentation and learning takes place. Where new insights and solutions mature. Where great initiatives and follow-up actions emerge.

 

I can help you with a strategy to set up a movement in your organisation or company. I can also help you with the coordination of activities, or as a facilitator or chairperson (though I prefer to say ‘host’, because that is much more inviting) and with Activist Communication. Because this too will help you grow your movement. Of course, you can also hire me to give an inspirational talk in this field.

 

SO, IF YOU EVER WONDER:

  • Who will create with me a cool, inspiring, creative communication that energises this big, complex change?
  • Who could revitalise our stalled culture change, organisational development or transformation?
  • Who could help us move forward this transformation?
  • Who would help us set up and breathe life into a network or movement of change agents?
  • Who will help me (or my organisation) get inspired again in this long, difficult change process?
  • Who is there to support me in this difficult, arduous and lengthy transition or transformation?
  • Who helps me find the words, arguments, strategy, theory & practice to what I feel more intuitively about this change?
  • Who helps me pitch the needed change and generate support in my company or organisation?

 

Call, email or app me for a cup of coffee and a chat!

 

Esther Barfoot

06-47586113

estherbarfoot@gmail.com

 

Below you can read about my experience. And about the question: which crises do I mean in the introduction to this page?

 

 


My experience

Over the past ten years, I have done long-term assignments for, among others, the Dutch National Police, the Municipality of Rotterdam (3x: Rotterdams WeerWoord, Inclusive Climate Action Rotterdam and Rotterdam Circulair), Municipality of Nissewaard, ProRail, IKEA and the German company Tchibo (via the Dutch agency BOTZ).

 

In the course of those assignments, I discovered and developed what I now call Activist Communication and the change strategy of setting up idealistic movements within organisations and companies, and within their industry or city. For example, on sustainability, climate, inclusion, SDGs, human rights, etc. I also specialise in shaping and facilitating interactive meetings, guiding dialogues, guiding (real) participation and all kinds of co-creative working forms. In many of these fields, I give workshops.

 

With Marjolijn van Eijsden, I made the podcasts ‘How do I create a movement?’ And ‘And so it begins…’ I am currently writing a book on Activist Communication.

 

 


What crises am I talking about?

Wait a minute… above… What crises am I actually talking about when I talk about the polycrisis? (Just so you’re sure we’re on the same page.) Besides the climate crisis, of course, I’m talking about the social crisis (increasing poverty and inequality), institutional racism, the housing crisis, the rampant development of AI, mass extinction, the nitrogen crisis and all sorts of other environmental crises, the rise of anti-democratic sentiments, the agricultural crisis, energy crisis, resource crisis and a politics that is struggling to cope with it all. Not to mention the extreme violence taking place in all sorts of places around our globe. At the time of writing, these include the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Sudan.

 

By the way, I am not saying that Activist Communication or ‘How to create a movement’ is the solution to all these world problems! It does, however, help address the issues on a smaller scale and make progress, instead of getting bogged down as is increasingly the case now.