So, what’s the story behind the Shifting Patterns logo?  Relationship building is fundamental to our work, so what better way to represent what we do than through a convergence of dialogue boxes that convey multiple meanings.  

According to Edgar Schein in his article, “On Dialogue, Culture and Organizational Learning,” dialogue goes beyond our ability to communicate effectively through active listening.  It is ultimately a form of creative problem solving where people learn how to think innovatively together.  In doing so, the group transcends the creative abilities of its individual members to achieve breakthrough solutions that were previously unimaginable.  Imagine what our world would look like if we engaged in meaningful dialogue across the public, private, and plural sectors, as represented by the converging circle, square, and cloud boxes.      

Our logo also illustrates the types of transformative change that we seek to catalyze.  We recognize that all change begins with ourselves.  Bringing about the world we want to live in begins with how we think and feel about what goes on around us.  It also involves accepting responsibility for the way things are and taking constructive action on the issues that we deeply care about.  We amplify our ability to create positive change by joining with others who share our interests.  Through collaboration, whether it's by joining an established organization or participating in a movement, the creative talents and passion of individuals can be mobilized to transform policies and institutions so that they become more inclusive and just.  Like most change processes what appears to be simple on the surface often reveals multiple layers of complexity the more we examine it, much like the “double take” feel of our logo.

Lastly, our logo represents the importance of integrating head, heart, and hands into our work with changemakers.  The head represents our knowledge of organization development and our commitment to continuing to develop expertise in this area.  The heart fuels our passion for facilitating social change as well as the care we take to build effective helping relationships with changemakers.  The hands reflect our experience working alongside members of teams and networks to help them identify what is getting in the way of effective teamwork, coming up with their own solutions to these challenges, and sustaining improved performance.