Radical Engagement for Fractured Times — Episode Summary

In this episode, systems change practitioner, author and long‑time collaborator across conflict lines Adam Kahane joins us to explore what it means to engage radically in a world that is fracturing at speed. Drawing on his decades of work in some of the world’s most divided contexts - from South Africa’s transition to democracy to multi‑stakeholder conflicts across business, politics and civil society - Adam reflects on why our old models of leadership no longer work in the volatility we now face.

He invites us to rethink how we show up with those we don’t agree with, like or trust, and why transforming systems requires us to step forward with difference rather than retreat from it. In a moment where political polarisation is deepening and institutions are cracking under pressure, Adam offers a grounded, hopeful and deeply practical way of navigating uncertainty: through radical engagement, everyday habits, and the courage to collaborate across boundaries without abandoning our values.

Takeaways

• Radical engagement is a foundational habit for transforming systems, requiring us to lean in rather than stand back.
• We don’t need full alignment to move forward. Progress often begins with small, imperfect steps taken together.
• Collaborating with people we don’t agree with, like or trust is increasingly essential, and increasingly difficult, in today’s polarised world.
• Disagreement is not a barrier to collaboration; learning to disagree well is a leadership skill we urgently need.
• Cracks in our systems reveal both danger and possibility, they expose what’s been hidden and invite new ways of working.
• Understanding others doesn’t mean agreeing with them; it means seeing more of the system so we can act more wisely.
• Leaning forward, listening deeply and looking for what’s unseen helps us move beyond superficial engagement.
• Systemic change is always a collective act, never the work of one person or one organisation.
• Working across difference clarifies our values and boundaries, rather than diluting them.
• Feeling our way forward, one step at a time, is often the only viable path in volatile, uncertain environments.

Links

Adam Kahane

Connect with Tamara

LinkedIn:Tamara Zaple Rolfs FCCT | LinkedIn

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Kathryn

LinkedIn: Kathryn Gorman FCCT | LinkedIn

Email: [email protected]

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