Perceptions of Chaos

Perceptions of Chaos

Today my ‘state of summer’ begins its symbolic transition into autumn. I find myself breathing in the crisp air of this unfathomable week, bristling against a reality that feels too harsh, too cold.

All the goings on in our midst remind me of Margaret Wheatley’s well-crafted words: “The world appears incomprehensible, chaotic, lacking rationality. We respond to this incoherence by applying old solutions…

Rising Above Cynicism: Appreciative Inquiry as a Way to Thrive

Rising Above Cynicism: Appreciative Inquiry as a Way to Thrive

Over a decade of working in emergency relief in nine countries left me discouraged, hopeless and cynical. I had seen the effects of war, managed crises and experienced abuses of power. I struggled to see the impact of my work, to the point of noticing the detrimental and potential harms of aid.