OUR CORE PRINCIPLES

Embracing complexity

Important social and market challenges are complex. The complexity comes from the multiple interests and the dynamic nature of the circumstances at play, and not from a lack of specific expertise.  The Symposium focuses on these challenges that require different tools and tactics to gain insights and identify where change might be possible. ​

Genuine and authentic dialogue ​

At the heart of the Symposium is the belief that complex social and market challenges require honest, open, and frank conversations.  The Symposium uses a range of creative methods and processes to move beyond superficial platitudes, and into deeper discussions about the various forces and interests affecting systems. ​

Learning driven by peer exchanges

The Symposium intentionally engages methods to increase the flow of information via peer-to-peer exchanges that can explore the many perspectives of complex challenges.  Diversity is essential to deeper learning. ​

Exploring Frontiers

The Symposium is committed to ongoing learning that has to lean into difficult frontier discussions/issues. 

Integrating thinking and doing

Often called praxis, the Symposium intentionally blurs the boundaries between research and implementation, focusing more on the process of quick learning through interactive thinking and doing processes.

Complexity requires engaging many perspectives, but effective learning also requires quality controls be put in place to ensure information is grounded in valid and robust evidence.  Applying a level of rigor via participatory validation processes is essential to building a foundation of learning that can evolve and improve over time.

Topical and responsive

Development is a dynamic process and there will be emergent challenges. The Symposium is committed to ongoing engagement with practitioners and experts to prioritize their threats, opportunities, and questions. 

Commitment to systems thinking and perspectives ​

Practitioners working on complex challenges need to clarify/understand how real change can happen and systems lenses have proven effective at illuminating pathways in unique local contexts.