107. From The Speed Of Change To The Pace Of Evolution: How Do We Create, And Support, Systems Inspired Evolution?
Our guest on the podcast today is Marita Fridjhon, born in South Africa and now based in the USA, is co-founder and CEO of CRR Global. Marita has an academic background with degrees in medical and psychiatric social work and family systems therapy. She grew up in South Africa during the apartheid era. She became a faculty member at Cape Town University profoundly impacted her and created the basis of exploration in systemic change. That became the driver to embark on cross-cultural research, including two years on the Amazon River and work in Brazil, Perú, Columbia, the British West Indies, and Puerto Rico, to name but a few. The outcome of these experiences provided training and focus on corporate, NGO, and government work using mediation, process work consulting, and coaching.
Together with her partner, Faith Fuller, she founded the international training and consulting business CRR Global, home of the legendary ORSC curriculum. Marita is a highly sought-after global speaker and is the lead author of the article “Relationship Systems Intelligence: Transforming the Face of Leadership” and co-author of the book “Creating Intelligent Teams” and “Systems Inspired Leadership”. This means looking at the interconnectedness of all entities, and people involved and understanding their collective goal.
Systems Inspired Leadership focuses on the system as a whole, while Relationship Systems Intelligence is based on five core principles - empathy, diversity, interdependency, creativity, and learning. To progress in any system, the three steps of meet, reveal, align and act are recommended.
Marita encourages us as leaders to slow down and reflect on the situation to gain clarity, insight, and a new perspective in addition to understanding our own biases. These considerations can lead to healthier power dynamics and a more collaborative approach. She emphasizes the value of every individual’s expression, openness and understanding of new ideas, and awareness of one’s own purpose when striving to make positive change.
If you get the sense that there’s more for you to do in this world, more of an impact you can make with your life and work, then I encourage you to listen to this deeply resonant dialogue for insights because it’s in the relational field where your potential truly lies.
Key Takeaways
- How Marita’s unique life journey shaped her life and work in aligned ways
- Learning to value every individual’s expression and understanding of the system or community to which they belong.
- What systems have to do with effective communication, leadership, and evolution
- Becoming open-minded and open-hearted to new ideas when listening to others.
- Discovering the benefits of Relationship Systems Intelligence in everyday life
Memorable Quote
“Learn to value every expression from individuals as not only their own opinion and also recognize that it’s also an expression from the system that they are a part of.”—Marita Fridjhorn
Episode Resources:
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