John Waters
After studying engineering at university, John spent a few years designing and developing communications equipment, data loggers and other instrumentation. Since life in a laboratory can only sustain one for so long, he abandoned this relative security for an enlightening series of adventures within and among various co-operative enterprises and eventually found a stimulating niche in the diverse world of community economics, collaborating on feasibility studies, exploring alternatives to the status quo, and spending decades contemplating different approaches to the matching of resources to needs in way more compatible with the viability of both people and the planet. Along this rocky path, he was sustained by a combination of eudemony and serendipity, nourished by autodidactic explorations and the application of diverse systems concepts.He is currently exploring (with colleagues) ideas around contributive economics and support for ethos-cohered communities. When pressed for a label, he generally prefers humble newt farmer.
Ian Kendrick
Ian specialises in facilitating teams to develop, communicate and deliver strategic innovation – from inception to growth – in turbulent environments. Working with NGOs and commercial organisations, he engages with ethos cohered communities looking to achieve systemic transformation in their environment and in themselves. This work brings the ability to re-perceive situations afresh to enable transformation and continuous adaptation.
Ian uses approaches that are cybernetic and systemic, engage with complexity and bring different perspectives to bear on the matter in hand. These approaches include the VSM, Syntegration, futures thinking including Three Horizons, discontinuous, disruptive and transformative innovation, decision making and narrative creation.
He led a major research project exploring the emergence and agency of online communities and their potential to address the needed variety to address major societal issues and essential change in our world. This work forms the foundation for much of Ian’s work with many online communities, helping them to form, connect, cohere and amplify their work together.
Ian has held senior positions in small and large organisations and facilitated many through difficult periods of transition as CEO. He has worked in cross cultural appreciation and local communities. Ian is a fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, co-founder of H3Uni and a Samaritan in the UK.