Ecological Intelligence
What would change if we took seriously the consideration that the world is alive, that we derive our being from a never-static, ever-changing field of entanglements, and that we are not the centre of the universe?
~ Bayo Akomolafe
What is ecological intelligence?
There are varying definitions of ecological intelligence. Ecological intelligence, in the sense that I use it, refers to our ability to understand our place in the ecosystems that sustain us and be in active relationship with those ecosystems. It is understanding the intricate connections between all parts of a natural system and appreciating each component for its unique contribution to that system.
It’s knowing yourself as part of the broader natural world. It’s experiencing yourself as a member of the broader natural community and feeling a sense of affinity with it. It’s considering yourself as belonging to the natural world as much as it belongs to you. It’s knowing that your well-being is related to the well-being of the natural world.
Why is ecological intelligence important?
There are many reasons to grow ecological intelligence
It can help you…
… to understand systems – because systems are at play everywhere in our life
… to grow awareness of your feelings around the climate crisis
… to learn to manage those climate feelings
… to learn how to relate to and collaborate with others (including all life)
… to learn restorative, regenerative, connected ways of being in the world
What makes you human is not merely other humans. We evolved over tens of thousands of years in response to challenges and opportunities within a wildly complex web of ecological relationships. As a human you have a deep genetic connection with all living things.
We need nature!
We need nature for our physical and mental wellbeing. There are countless studies now that show this to be true. People with a connection to nature experience more positivity, less negativity, greater satisfaction with life, more happiness and self-acceptance, vitality, positive relationships, and purpose in life.
Not only that but changes in nature cause changes in us. The changing seasons impact everything from generosity to colour preferences.
It’s not a small thing.
To be fully human is to be an active, contributing member of an extensive Earth community.
Ecological intelligence in the workplace
Systems thinking is a mindset centered around understanding how pieces within a whole connect. Every workplace is a system. Every team is a system. And every project is a system. In the same way, every ecosystem is a system.
So understanding systems gives you an advantage in the workplace because it shifts the focus from individual pieces to the relationships of between pieces. It allows you to see how each element affects and is affected by other elements.
Ecological intelligence teaches you to zoom out, to step back from the minutia and look at the bigger picture. When you can see things through a wide lens, you can recognise the complexities, relationships, and interconnections, and then act with empathy, innovation and collaboration.
“The world is made of circles. And we think in straight lines. We tend to focus on snapshots of isolated parts of the system. And wonder why our deepest problems never get solved.“
~ Peter Senge (systems scientist, MIT)
How to develop ecological intelligence skills
Ecological intelligence involves growing awareness of the natural systems around you and establishing relationships with those systems.
Growing awareness…
… of the wider world, the other-than-human world, the ecological world
… of the bigger systems we are part of – ecological, social, cultural, economic.
… of our place in those systems.
… of the interconnectedness of everything
… of what’s regenerative, what’s restorative, what’s life-enhancing.
… of the principles of nature, of how life grows, evolves and takes care of itself.
… of climate emotions
Managing relationships…
… learning collaboration – how to collaborate effectively with the systems we are part of
… learning to manage your climate emotions in a healthy, relational way
… bringing care and appreciation to the natural areas and creatures we still have
… being present and in active relationship with the natural world
