Emergent Strategy: A Toolkit for Transformative Change
In a world that feels increasingly complex and unpredictable, how do we lead, collaborate, and adapt with intention? Adrienne Maree Brown’s Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds offers a compelling answer. Rather than relying on rigid plans, Brown invites us to embrace change as a natural and creative force.
This book is not just a read. It is a toolkit for navigating transformation with curiosity, compassion, and courage. At Encolor, staff return to this text monthly, consulting its principles and practices to guide reflection, planning, and collaboration. It encourages us to rethink strategy as something living and evolving, shaped by relationships, patterns, and practice.
What Is Emergent Strategy?
Emergent strategy is a way of being that aligns with the Earth’s natural patterns of change. Drawing inspiration from science fiction writer Octavia Butler and the intelligence of ecosystems, Brown introduces a set of elements operating in the natural world that include adaptation, interdependence, decentralization, and resilience to be applied to collective work.
This book is for anyone who wants to make meaningful change, whether in a team, an organization, or a community. It is especially relevant for:
Leaders and facilitators seeking new ways to guide transformation
Teams navigating uncertainty or shifting priorities
Consultants and strategists looking for people-centered approaches
Anyone curious about systems thinking, social justice, or personal growth
Though a useful toolkit, Emergent Strategy is not a linear manual. It is a collection of reflections, facilitation tools, personal practices, and real-world stories designed to be read either from cover to cover or dip into sections as needed. The book is ideal for solo reflection, team retreats, or as the foundation for a community or workplace book club.
Here are a few ways Emergent Strategy can inspire how we work to create more resilient, responsive, and human-centered organizations:
Start small because the large is a reflection of the small. This idea reflects the book’s core belief that meaningful change begins at the micro level.
Build trust, and trust the people. Relationships are the foundation of effective strategy.
Change is constant so stay flexible which reminds us to remain fluid and responsive.
Share leadership. Decentralized decision-making can unlock creativity.
Reflect often. Make space to pause, learn, and adapt.
In summary, Emergent Strategy does not offer easy answers. Instead, it offers powerful questions and practices. It asks us to slow down, pay attention, and co-create the future we want to see.
If you are curious, I encourage you to pick up a copy, assess yourself using the included journaling prompts, start a conversation, and/or suggest a team read. As Brown encourages, “Let’s all be conduits of the wisdom of this planet.” Let’s explore what it means to shape change together.
Interested in diving deeper?
Join the AESP DEI Book Club Series, hosted by The Shared Space Project. Each quarter, we read and discuss a book that helps us explore equity, inclusion, and community-centred approaches to our work. Connect with fellow readers and facilitators on the AESP Together platform and be part of thoughtful, ongoing conversations.