Syntegration accelerates problem solving in complex settings - the case of responsible soy

Last January, over 30 specialists gathered to find new ways to move to 100% responsible soy consumed or traded in Europe, convened by the Round Table of Responsible Soy (RTRS). A challenging task, since many design parameters need to be reconciled if this venture is to succeed: production methods need to foster fair labour conditions, environmental impacts need to stay within planetary boundaries, measures need to result in economically viable, etc. etc.
RTRS chose to approach the challenge through Syntegration, a technique aimed at integrating knowledge to maximize synergy of expert groups, by way of the Team Syntegrity method developed by Stafford Beer and further enhanced by the Malik Institute.

Now, two months later, the real impact of syntegrating for sustainable soy is starting to unfold:

• Strategic perspectives have come into focus  creating litterally the bigger picture for all organizations involved in making soy supply chains more sustainable. Like never before.
• Higher awareness of collaborative opportunities and benefits. Identifying a common purpose and learning how different options for action can be combined to create synergies and higher impacts clearly showed how competition destroys variety for solving complex problems. And also how how partnerships potentially bring into sight the solutations that we all need but that no one can reach on its own.
• Acceleration of problem solving: going through the faciltated procedure of the Malik SuperSyntegration method created over 300 statements of importance, 12 key areas and over 34 specific and realistically feasible actions to arrive at 100% responsible soy in Europe. I am convinced that the 3.5 days of intense group conference created more benefits than the combinated participants' organization could have reached in two years following traditional methods: going to the usual conferences, exchanging ideas, listening to endless presentations and reading big slide decks.

How is the difference made? In my view, the Syntegration puts experts litterally in the same boat, paints the picture of how complex problems are structured, how actions of individual actors sometimes reinforce themselves, or can work even countereffectively; partcipants have gained a deeper understanding of their options, the possible combined effects, the facts that are likely to have the highest conribution to solving complex problems, and are being empowered to apply their knowledge in more effective ways; and also, the syntegration process helps to identify shared purposes and interests, and offers options. Syntegration connects the dots.

Syntegration also increases awareness and releases new energies to flow creatively. Six weeks after the syntegration, RTRS met with about forty of its European stakeholders, members and non-members (that's inclusive!), to kick-off building on the Syntegration outcomes. And the meeting culminated in broad support for developing a Sustainable Soy Platform, as a mechanism to accelerate the market transition toward sustainable soy.

So, all in all the experience of the Syntegration and experiencing how it contributes to solving problems in complex settings, how it empowers both the individual participants and the organizations represented by them, and how it accelerates and catalyses problem solving, strategy finding, and knowledge syntegration was a very positive one. Now the burden is on the participants to apply and use the new knowledge and insights in practice.

As a courtesy, find the Syntegration report containing all the conclusions, outcomes and analyses underpinning them here: