Theory U

What is Theory U? One cutting edge theory of learning is known as “Theory U”. Theory U, developed by Otto Scharmer and colleagues at MIT, has been developed to enable leaders to shift from learning from the past to “learning from an emerging future” by breaking habits and exploring solutions.

How does Theory U work? The journey starts on the left-hand side of the U where you are encouraged to open your mind to new ideas, initially through observation and listening. Subsequently, you should reflect and gain an even deeper connection with the knowledge obtained. This reflection encourages you to think about your purpose and realise your potential. Lastly, you can begin prototyping and co-creating innovative ideas that allow for new ways of doing things. To find out more, read our “Essentials of a Learning Organisation” here.

Where does “presencing” fit in? Presencing encourages people to actively listen to others. There are several different types of listening: downloading, factual listening, empathetic listening and generative listening. Each type of listening has a different outcome, however, if an individual applies several different styles, they will slowly gain an insight into different ideas. If you’d like to find out more check-out the Presencing Institute’s page.

How is this theory being incorporated into leadership programmes? We have recently started working with the Ubuntu.Lab Institute empowers African leaders to develop new and exciting solutions to African problems. The Ubuntu Institute has incorporated Theory of U into their framework of developing these solutions. To find out more click this link to watch a short 2-minute video.

With several Global Conferences coming up, how can leaders from across the world apply Theory U and come together to understand each other's realities, and collaborate to develop innovative and inspiring ideas?

Change Maker of the week:

Quote of the Week:

"I believe to become a leader that leads with the heart you need to encourage experimental mindset, you need to provide psychological safety for teams and also you need to be a servant leader." — Liz Theophille

Best wishes,

Rosie, Lorna, Dan, Ian and Megan

How can we best take care of each other and ourselves?

How can we best take care of each other and ourselves? We like the metaphor of geese! We can learn a lot from them, like how they take turns to take responsibility to lead and how they offer support to one another in challenging times. You can watch a film about this here. For more insights into how this links to our culture, click here.

It is very important to not only be kind to others, but to also be kind to ourselves. We tend to put ourselves too far down the list. However, taking care of ourselves can help others even more when we are faced with difficult times. This article by Daphna Horowitz encourages us to “put our oxygen mask on first", looking after our physical, emotional, and mental health to ensure we are being the best version of ourselves with the people with whom we interact. She focuses on sleep, exercise, mindfulness, nutrition, and connection.

Many people around the world struggle with health, including mental health. We are currently working with See Change, an organisation in the West of England that has a vision of a world where every person has an open and positive attitude to their own and others’ mental health. See Change's psychotherapy focuses on children, young people and families.

Often, our work on strategy and strategic change focuses on income streams. From a practical, organisational health standpoint, increasing and diversifying income streams is highly significant. To read a recent Economist article on philanthropy, click here. Our papers on Trusts and Foundations might also be helpful.

How can we improve these updates? We are very interested to hear from you! Please access our quick survey here. Your feedback will help ensure we make our updates as relevant and useful as possible.

Quote of the week

“Care for your psyche…know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves.” —Socrates

Our unintended consequences is here!

Quick update from Caplor Horizons!

On the 15th of October we joined the United Nations in celebrating the International Day of Rural Women! This article by Forbes explores the inequalities faced by rural women, including access to paid employment, access to finance, access to public services and disproportionate caring duties.

A programme that we have contributed to in The Gambia seeks to address such inequalities. Since 2018, we have been working with United Purpose and other NGOs to support the facilitation of an initiative involving a women-led marketing federation: the Sosolaso (meaning “all united”) initiative has centred on the livelihoods, nutrition and networks of around 30,000 women farmers.

Our report on the unintended consequences of the Sosolaso initiative is here! With our NGO partners from TARUD and WIG, through interviews led by Baai Jaabang (TARUD), Isatou Ceesay (WIG) and Fatou Jaiteh (University of the Gambia), we considered the unintended consequences that we and others have been contributing to through this work stream. All too often, such scrutiny is not given, missing important opportunities to make improvements. We would like to thank everyone involved in The Gambia and Sam Bishop (University of Bath) for their valuable contributions. You can find a summary of the findings below and a full report here. 

Change maker of the week

Quote of the week:

"One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”- Maya Angelou

Best wishes

Rosie, Lorna, Dan, Ian and Megan

How can a Theory of Change accelerate progress?

A Theory of Change can accelerate change. It can enable an organisation to concentrate on what is most important. In our Thought Leadership Paper, we provide tips to develop a Theory of Change. You can read the paper here.

We’re facilitating a strategic change and team development process with, United Purpose Malawi. Their Theory of Change puts gender equality at the heart of everything they do (see diagram below).

One of the webinars of our Transforming Leadership Series will focus on Feminist Leadership. We will explore how this leadership style supports gender equality, enabling a platform for engaging, open and curious discussions. If you want to learn more about Feminist Leadership and how it can support your organisation, this Devex article is a good starting place. You can also take part in a series of webinars on Feminist Leadership organised by Fair Share of Women Leaders by registering here.

You can watch the recording of our most recent webinar here. The focus of this was on how can we collaborate more effectively. Thank you to those from our Caplor Community that joined us. Click here to sign up to the next one on 8th December focused on Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss.

A big thank you to Laura! We are very appreciative to Laura, who has been our Development Coordinator in recent months. She contributed in highly productive and impressive ways. We wish Laura well with her next steps and look forward to her continuing as a member of our community.

And a warm welcome to Megan. We are excited to welcome Megan Le Doaré, who will be picking up the reins as Development Coordinator. She has just finished her MA in Migration and Global Development and has a passion for the environment and people.

We are re hiring! We are currently recruiting for 1-3 trustees committed to our values, familiar with the NGO sector and with fresh perspectives. To find more about the role and how to apply, click here. The deadline for applications is the 10th of October 2021.

The Commitment is also hiring! The climate change and biodiversity loss organisation incubated by Caplor Horizons is currently recruiting for a Communications and Engagement Lead and a Fundraiser. To know more about the roles, including how to apply, click here for the communications and engagement role and here for the fundraising role. The deadline for applications is also the 10th of October 2021.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: "Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence, and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”- Sheryl Sandberg

Best wishes

Rosie, Lorna, Dan, Ian and Megan

How can we collaborate for a better planet?

Greater collaboration is beneficial even for nature and the climate. This week, on the 29th of September, the United Nations is celebrating the first ever observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. Reducing food waste helps the planet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), it is estimated that, if food waste was a country, it would be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China. To learn more about emissions and what “absolute zero” means, click here.

If we stopped wasting food altogether, we would eliminate 8% of our total emissions. To learn more about the impact food waste has in our planet, and what you can do about it, click here. Some first steps you can start taking today can be found below:

Last chance to register for our webinar on collaboration tomorrow! It will take place between 11:30 and 13:00 UK time. You can register here. Ahead of our event together, here is something musical, intriguing and uplifting about collaboration: a 6-minute clip of people collaborating to create something magical together.

The upcoming webinar of our Transforming Leadership series will focus on Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss. It will take place on the 8th of December from 11:30 to 13:00 UK time and you can register here. To find out more about our webinar series, click here.

Welcome, Kemal! Known to many in our community because of his passion to collaborate and transform the reality of vulnerable children, young people and adults, Dr Kemal Shaheen is joining our core team as Director of Strategic Partnerships. He will continue in his role as Director of our long-term partner, Paper Boat, adjusting to take this initiative forwards whilst starting in this new role.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “I am only one, but still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do" - Edward Everett Hale

Best wishes

Ian, Rosie, Dan and Lorna

Can mentors inspire better leaders?

Mentors can help us to boost our confidence, clarify our goals and reach our highest potential. This article by Paramita Bhattacharya of Forbes invites us to seek out for mentors with different, rich experiences who can help us to grow and develop.

Mentors can unleash our leadership potential. In our “Essentials of Leadership” Paper by Professor Sharon Turnbull, we explore how mentorship can support leaders to foster their learning, build relationships and develop self-awareness. You can read the paper here.

A mentor can help someone remain positive and hopeful, sometimes in the face of great adversity, so that they achieve far more than they thought possible, or that others think they are capable of. Given the challenging situations we can all face, such support can be crucial.

Only one more week before the first webinar of our Transforming Leadership Series! This first event, taking place on the 28th of September from 11:30-13:00 UK time, will explore the question “How could we collaborate better?”. You can register here. The second webinar, focused on Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss, will take place on the 8th of December and you can register here.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore” - Michelle Ruiz

Best wishes

Dan, Lorna, Ian, Rosie and Laura

Connecting with our values for a better world!

Big news! After years of excellent contributions, Dan Bishop is starting a new chapter. Dan deeply connects with values, people and causes that help make a better world. He has been working full-time as part of our core team. However, he will now spend most of his time with his family and carrying out projects related to home life. Notwithstanding this, he will continue as one of our Advisors and remain at the heart of our community.

To everyone he knows, Dan would like to say: “in sharing your knowledge and experiences with others, you invariably receive much more than you give, and that has always been the case for me at Caplor Horizons. The core team, the advisors, the wider community and all our wonderful partners and clients are my extended family. The work has been a pleasure. I am constantly inspired and in awe of what a small number of people can achieve. Long may it continue".

What is the "Great Turning"? This interesting concept considers how environmental sustainability links to matters of social justice. In their article, which you can read here, Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone identify three "dimensions" related to it.

The ideas promoted by this concept align with our belief that there is no change without cultural change. This is why we’ve developed our “Culture for Justice”, which is an integral part of our strategy. You can read more about our culture here.

On the 19th of September, an event to celebrate the work of Joanna Macy will take place. In addition to co-authoring the paper mentioned above, she encourages people to engage with new ways of exploring our world. To register for the event, click here.

Our webinar focused on collaboration is happening soon! It will take place on the 28th of September, and you can register here. In December, we will run another webinar, this time focused on Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss. It will take place on the 8th of December and you can register here. Both will run from 11:30 to 13:00 UK time. To find out more about our webinar series, click here.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “Never underestimate the power of intrinsic values. They inspire every struggle for a better world" – George Monbiot

Why do we need more democracy, not less?

We need more democracy, not less. In this short video, Professor Rebecca Willis challenges those people that argue we need less democracy - or even that we need to put democracy “on hold” - to deal with the environmental crisis. She gives three main reasons why that is the case (summarised below):

The research of Professor Willis aligns with the approach of The Commitment, an initiative within Caplor Horizons that works to put climate change and the natural world higher up the political agenda. Her research was particularly significant to The Commitment’s third research paper, "Climate Change and Biodiversity: Connecting voters with politicians"; which was carried out in collaboration with our partner Hope for the Future. You can read it here.

Can climate anxiety be related to government inaction? This is a question that has recently been the subject of research, which involved a survey of 10,000 children and young people across 10 different countries. One of the people involved, Elouise Mayer, is a member of our Strategic Change and Development Group. The results will be shared at an event on the 14th of Sept, at 14:00 BST. You can register for the event here.

Our Transforming Leadership webinar series. Following from a webinar on collaboration, which will take place on the 28th of Sept, for which you can register here, we will have another one focused on Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss; this will take place on the 8th of Dec and you can register here. Both will run from 11:30 to 13:00 UK time. To find out more about our webinar series, click here.

Welcome, Kari-Ann! We are excited to share that Kari-Ann Whitbread will be joining us as a “Partnerships Manager”, following from a competitive recruitment process. We are looking forward to introducing her to our Caplor community!

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make” - Jane Goodall

How can we be perpetual explorers?

It is often said that “change is the only constant” in our world. If we want to contribute to the best of our ability, we must learn to adapt as new opportunities and challenges emerge.

Research by McKinsey identified 56 “foundational skills” that can help people deal with our changing world. These are summarised below. It is believed these will help enable individuals to contribute effectively in an ever more digital environment. To discover more about these skills, click here.

How can we be “perpetual explorers” in the face of change? In a “A Conversation with Charles Handy”, he prompts us to be eternally curious and innovative. Charles is a renowned social philosopher. He is also our Thought Leadership Advisor. Charles encourages us all to: “dream the impossible and make it practical”.

Our upcoming “Transforming Leadership” webinar series! From later this month through to September next year, we will facilitate conversations on leadership themes, providing an opportunity for shared learning within and beyond our community. You are very welcome to join! Please find a list of all possible topics and dates here.

You can still register to our first webinar, which will be all about collaboration! It will take place on Tuesday the 28th of September 2021. It will explore the question “How could be collaborate better?” To learn more about the event, click here, and to register, click here.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “The only constant in life is change" - Heraclitus

What is the state of our planet?

Climate action requires collective action, and we need to act now! Last week, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published the first part of its sixth assessment report. Hundreds of leading climate scientists concluded that the reality of climate change, and the direct responsibility of humans in its creation, can no longer be denied.

The Commitment, an initiative incubated by Caplor Horizons, is ensuring climate change is put higher up the political agenda. Believing in the power voting has to tackle our climate crisis, The Commitments is getting politicians in the UK readily engaged and interested to hold the climate at the core of their decision making. To get involved and make your Commitment for a healthier planet, click here.

The organisation has recently published its research “Climate Change and Biodiversity: Connecting voters with politicians” with our partner Hope for the Future, a climate charity working to equip communities, groups and individuals across the UK to communicate the urgency of climate change with their local politicians.

We believe that, to create societal impact, we must start with transforming leadership. We will soon be working with Hope for the Future’s Senior Leadership Team to develop their “leaderful way”. For more on how to develop your own leaderful way, click here to read one of our Thought Leadership Papers written by Dr Lynne Sedgmore.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “Believe in the power of your own voice. The more noise you make, the more accountability you demand from your leaders, the more our world will change for the better" - Al Gore