Genarrative: Future Forming Practices for Building Better Legacies

Genarrativity, Future Forming Practices for Building Better Legacies is a magnetic memoir of an independent Dutch organization development (OD) consultant who, next to his already dynamic and purpose driven life, spent five years of PhD research into the concept of Organizational Generativity, aiming to contribute to an organization's capability to create better futures for all its stakeholders. As a reader - manager, community leader, process consultant, OD scholar or PhD candidate - you are initiated into the unruly art of academic inquiry, and slightly become yourself a co-creator of the research being executed. Through personal cases, bits of peer-reviewed work, and new (un)frameworks, this book makes you understand and enhance the life of organizations and other communities in unexpected new ways. In a dialogical and immersive learning journey full of sudden surprises - as emergence requests - you are guided across a richness of sources, wisdom, reflections and practices urging you to learn and share the art of genarrativity yourself. Cees Hoogendijk not only promotes organizational and societal flourishing; he shows you the way. A word from the author What we call 'crisis', would that actually be 'complexity' without knowing yet how to deal with it properly? Wrapped in a memoir, and mixed with peer reviewed findings, Genarrative presents an in-depth understanding of how conscious use of the word 'generative/-ity' can contribute to organizational and societal betterness. My research journey into the generative qualities of organizations and communities covers a lifespan of personal and professional experiences of which I share the highlights in Genarrative. I hope you will be inspired by my three frameworks - as practical as they can be - connecting generativity to language, processes and social entities. Moreover, you may enjoy engaging in the ongoing process of future forming inquiry yourself, for which Genarrative provides tools and guidance. The ones who take the effort in practicing the practices, will be acknowled- ged as being 'genarrative' and appreciated for being good ancestors: for having created new promising stories, that fueled next generations to build the world they love. In essence, generativity is the quality to give life and to create healthy futures. It is my sincere hope that this book generates like-minded, actionable 'genarrators'. Would you be one? Cees Hoogendijk Start and end of the Preflection by professor Ron Fry "My first journey through this work by Cees was a wonderful ride. It was full of inner 'yes, ' 'aha, ' 'never looked at it that way, ' and outer smiles, with some thoughtful frowns. Overall it is a tour-de-force into a deeper view of generativity, generative connections, and the novel idea of the "genarrator" to help those interested in nurturing, transforming, changing or developing human systems toward being spaces for everyone to flourish within." [...] "I look forward to the next time and space to wander through this book again. Like every time I view my garden, there are likely to be experiences of newness and sameness, but always an inviting and fertile space for discovery and growth."

Review :
"Countless times on back covers I've read: "Every manager should read this book." This book is one of the few where I believe this to be true. If you're looking to proactively and intentionally create your organization's future, instead of only passively preparing for whatever future may arrive, this book can be your guide." Jeffrey Hicks, Ph.D. "This book comprises a quest to new human approaches to the flourishing continuation of existing human systems. If I myself could give out a PhD, Cees would have obtained it already!" Prof. Dr. Celeste P.M. Wilderom "So much to appreciate in this work; the head spins with ideas. The work thus performs that which it attempts to describe. Deep appreciation for your efforts, Cees, stimulating as ever..." Kenneth J. Gergen, Ph.D. "The honest and transparent content of this book will leave the readers with a refreshing and warming feeling towards every-person and -thing around them. At least, this is the "smiling" feeling I always experience when practicing appreciative inquiry and that makes me ponder how much different the world would be if all people could embrace this lifestyle." Lara Carminati Ph.D. "Let academics classify this work as constructivist, structuralist, postmodernist, post-postmodernist, whatever; it is enriching, and relevant for all times. Call it genarrative!" Geert W.J. Heling Ph.D.