October 25, 2023

Russ Gaskin

Navigating the In-Between: Embracing Spiritual Tension on the Path to Growth

Key Points About Our Chat

• Russ Gaskin describes his belief system as "Daoist Possibilianism," emphasizing the interconnectedness of reality and the abundance of possibilities.

• They discuss the role of purpose in social change work and how it can lead to a deeper sense of meaning and generosity.

• Collaborative efforts benefit from transcending individual biases and embracing shared purpose, creating conditions for people to show up authentically.

• Russ shares a powerful moment when diverse groups commit to a shared purpose, resulting in a deep sense of connection and readiness for long-term collaboration.

• Vulnerability and the practice of "putting our guts on the table" are seen as essential for creating transformative change.

“We don’t think we are creating social change, we just think we are creating the conditions for whole people to show up in whole ways.”

Meet Russ 

Russ helps people who don’t know each other, and often don’t even like each other, solve complex problems together. His unique strength is creating the conditions and frameworks that support efficient and meaningful collaboration across deep sectoral and cultural differences. Russ also builds the capacities of others to lead effective collaboration by speaking and teaching around the world on changing complex systems, human-centered design, and leveraging conflict and diversity as sources of strategic innovation.

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This interview is available for...