Field Notes from Systems Change

Chris Brookfield has worked near the heart of major systems change for thirty years. A pioneer in impact investing, in technology systems design, and in micro-credit, he has made a career out of learning from edge communities– communities involved in vibrant transformation, off the beaten path. In Field Notes from Systems Change, Chris draws on this vast experience to illuminate ways of knowing, and ways of working that are place-based, local, and responsive to community needs, and lays out a pathway to beginning regenerative businesses and movements that thrive.

He says, “With careful listening, observation and active participation in the local community and culture, the underlying stories of a community begin to emerge. These foundational stories, and the relationships upon which they are based, may guide the design of systems to provide essential services that all communities need.”

The book is a brief, yet incredibly thoughtful exploration of the nature of systems change, and how we can find opportunity in moments of systemic upheaval. With jewel-like clarity, Field Notes on Systems Change clarifies the patterns of observation and the practices required for transforming systems, an imperative in our present global moment.

This book is an extraordinary guide for anyone engaged in systems change work– as an entrepreneur, activist, or simply as a person interested in how we transform systems from the community outward.