in a world in deep transformation
there is a work in paths-finding
there is a practice in dreaming futures alive
there is remembering of being community
there are connections to be made and held
there are thresholds for us to inhabit
there is courage and beauty and play
I support systems, organisations & individuals in collaborating and leading in complexity. My work is guided by a commitment to collective healing, social justice and generative futuring.
Some roles I act from:
- Intercultural Psychologist – Senior Facilitator – Generative Scribe – Author – Solarpunk Practitioner
- Senior Learning Facilitator at Climate-KIC’s Systems Innovation Learning Partnership
- Co-Founder of Leadership Festival – a global event committed to emerging the new paradigm(s) of leadership
- Member of Global Team of the Presencing Institute at the MIT
- Member of many global communities driving positive transformation in the world
The heartbeat of a tiny spring, after rain
Wysokie Tatry, Poland – September 2024
Video Karolina Iwa
A lot of my work is centred around collaborative CULTURE and shared LEADERSHIP.
We spent decades defining leadership as the visible single strong hero in the room. Luckily for all, the hero included, this is changing. In our collective effort of convening Leadership Festivals we have found a new definition. Just imagine a world, where this were true: LEADERSHIP means seeing a need in the world, and acting upon it.
What would we see more of in our teams? What would we need to learn? What would we need to abandon?
I often look at these six archetypes of a less visible leadership, of how we show up to help sense into, steer & drive work: Leader – Follower – Ally – Witness – Trend-tracker – Buddy. I love how they create space for a diversity of qualities, voices and actions.
Which you see yourself reflected in most? Which do you miss in your team? Which is difficult for you to access?
Read more on my Medium page.
Neu am See – Culture, Art and Community in Nature
Neuendor am See, Germany – June 2024
Video Karolina Iwa
When it comes to COLLABORATIVE CULTURES Zora Csalagovits (Gestalt Therapist), Dr. Tracie Farrell (AI & Justice Researcher) and I spent 10+ years exploring, teaching and codifying an approach to functional creativity, or in other words – to supporting teams of great individuals in being creative together. As a result of this work we created a transformative framework for expanding groups’ ability to engage with complexity (collaborative intelligence) and advancing their purpose at work. We called it Kinetic Creativity. The framework describes the Skills you need to develop to increase your creativity (Observation – Interpretation – Inquiry), Mindsets that support your growth (Openness & Curiousity – Comfort with Ambiguity – Risk Taking) and Environments for collaboration in teams (Communication – Diversity – Decision Making).
Download the Kinetic Creativity ebook for free & listen to our podcasts series.
Hans Laser – Knoten, www.hansleser.de
Biesenthal, Germany – September 2024
Video Karolina Iwa
projects
Collaborations as bridging, as daring and as beauty
SYSTEMS INNOVATION LEARNING PARTNERSHIP
Facilitation of a year-long global Learning Cohort of experimentation teams.
Core fields of inquiry:
• locally-led implementation of systemic approach
• transformative potential of funding for learning
• relationality in collaboration for recentering power
Visit the website | Read the Learning Report.
EUVIZ – GLOBAL GATHERING OF VISUAL PRACTITIONERS
Space for visual practitioners of all walks of life to come together for a couple of days in a physical location, share their work and the behind the scenes, inspire each other, explore challenges and stucks, and contribute to the development of the industry and its role in the world.
Visit the website | See pictures.
(UN)LEARNING FOR RELATIONAL JUSTICE
A twelve-week-long participatory process of progressing the decolonising of climate justice work, engaging Climate-KIC and Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) employees, as well as SILP Experimentation Fund grantees.
visual practice
Evocative visual as invitation for more contribution, storytelling and leadership by many
education
An unraveling path and practice
SYSTEMIC APPROACH
Transition Studio
• Systemic Interventions in Teams and Organizations – 2024
Presencing Institute
• Member of Global Team – from 2022
• Presencing Foundation Programme – 2020
• Social Presencing Theatre – 2019
• Generative Scribing – 2018
• Theory U – Learning from the Future as it emerges – 2012
Institute for Strategic Clarity
• Immersion Course – Managing from Clarity: Identifying, Aligning and Leveraging Strategic Resources – 2017
LARGE GROUP FACILITATION
Process Oriented Psychology with Amy & Arnold Mindell
• WORLDWORK Large group – 2016
• WORLDWORK Large group – 2014
• Tao of Sustainability and Empathy – 2012
Psycho-dynamic approach, Wszechnica Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
• Making the Difference – Group Relations – 2013
Kommunikationslotsen
• Visual Facilitation – 2010
Cascade Network
• Technology of Participation – 2005
• World Cafe – 2005
• Open Space Technology – 2006
EARTH-BASED WISOM
Tanna Jakubowicz-Mount
• Transpersonal Work at the Threshold – 2022-2023
Earth Activist Training, Starhawk
• Social Permaculture – 2021
The Grove Consultants & Kommunikationslotsen
• Leading as Sacred Practice – Leadership Retreats – 2017-2021
bio
Karolina Iwa holds a degree in Intercultural Psychology and brings experience of facilitating groups small and large (1000+) for over two decades. She currently works as Senior Learning Facilitator at Climate-KIC. Karolina supports systems and individuals in the fields of societal transformation and complex systemic challenges. Member of many global OD communities driving positive change in the world, including Presencing Institute’s Global Team. Co-Founder of Leadership Festival – a collective effort committed to co-emerging the new paradigm(s) of leadership. Researcher & book author in the field of functional creativity. In her less formal time – an aspiring Solapunk artist, sailor, diver and back-country skier.
roots
Beneath the soles of my feet are the shoulders I humbly stand on
Mesquite Spring
Death Valley, California – December 2018
Foto Karolina Iwa