📰 🍄🐚 Organizational Mycology – May 11, 2023
We get asked about our name sometimes… So this week, we’re describing why we use the term “mycology” and providing some insight into what we think the mycological world has to offer when thinking about organizational life.
We’re also running an Oblique Thinking Hour next month that explores the future of work by playing a card game--check out the links at the end if you want to join others who wonder about how technology, organizing, and social dynamics might shape workplaces of the future.
We’re hopeful that this deck and the exercises can be useful for bringing your coworkers together to co-imagine the future of your organization. Let us know what other topics you'd like to explore the future of.
👀 Something that caught our eye
Why mycology? What do slime molds, fungi and lichens have for us to learn from? For several years before we launched Organizational Mycology we had an ongoing fascination with slime molds and fungal communities. We kept seeing how useful the metaphor was for asking how organizations could be vibrant, equitable, networked places. We joked that we could call ourselves “Slime Mold Consulting '' (Catchy, we know).
When we look across the diversity of mycological species, and the patterns of connection within these species, we see clear connections to organizational life: Slime molds and fungi build networks, they communicate, share resources, solve problems together, and develop deep symbioses with other organisms.
Unlike many of our human organizations, there is no hierarchical leadership in mycological networks. Yet there is order. Values of mutual benefit, mutual aid, and networked relationships emerge. We believe that many of the challenges of working on hard problems come from the fundamental limitations introduced into systems by hierarchical power structures. This is not a call to dismantle hierarchies, but to understand where they’re valuable and where they might get in the way.
We’ve got a few starting places if you’d like to think a bit about the beauty of mycology:
Queer Theory for Lichens
Don’t Fear Fungi
Ghost Pipe Remedies and Metaphors for the Anthropocene
Creatures That Don’t Conform
Researchers discover a new type of coexistence between algae and fungi
June 7/8th 2023 - Future of Work Scenario Generation
Using the future thinking card deck we co-created in May, we'll talk about the future of work, and break out into small groups to explore future scenarios about the future of work. It is not necessary to have attended the May event for you to come to this event.
Tip: You can always go to https://orgmycology.com/oblique to see below times in your local timezone.
Two times are available
June 8, 2023 at 8:00 AM in Pacific/Auckland timezone
June 8, 2023 at 8:00 PM in Pacific/Auckland timezone
Member discussion