The beach was beautiful. The sand grains were small and smooth, comfortable and warm on bare feet. The waves lapped up against the shore and seagulls coasted on the breeze water searching for food. As we walked along the beach, the tide started to ebb and, as it did, unexpected and beautiful things emerged. A horseshoe crab. Green sea glass. Iridescent shells.
Just like the ocean, groups have depths and hidden treasures often left unseen. Unlike oceans, there is no natural ebb and flow in groups that regularly show what is hidden. Instead, group members decide when and how to lower the waterline.
As friend and colleague Priya Nalkur writes in her book, Stumbling Toward Inclusion: Finding Grace in Imperfect Leadership, Lowering the waterline is “not just revealing previously unspoken things but releasing previously blocked energy.” Indeed, I have seen the power of lowering the waterline – and it’s not always about saying difficult things. It’s often about finding what’s true and meaningful.
Years ago, I helped a financial technology company clarify its mission, values, and strategy. After several days of reviewing data gathered from customers and staff members, the CEO lowered the waterline in a dramatic, positive way. He said: I’ve realized that our company is not about technology. It’s about people. We are in the business of helping people navigate their financial present and future. When he said this, a frisson of energy moved through the room as the team collectively realized the power of his words. In this moment, by voicing what was previously unspoken, the CEO released the group’s energy, gave members purpose and focus, and articulated what was truly important.
Lowering the waterline is a key practice in Deep Democracy. We believe that, in every group, significant information and wisdom often remain unspoken. Our techniques help people say what needs to be said within a context designed to help the group receive the information and wisdom productively.
To be clear: lowering the waterline is not synonymous with psychotherapy. We do not ask people to divulge details about their childhoods nor do we ask them to share intimate details of their lives. Instead, we invite people to share the information that some in the room lack. We ask people to say the things that might be risky, but the group needs to hear. We encourage people to say what they’ve been waiting to say, but needed support to do so.
The results, as Priya writes, are “often dramatic and moving, acting as a catalyst for real change.”
Learn More
If you would like to catalyze real change within your organization and team, contact us.
If you’re interested in attending a Foundations of Deep Democracy workshop, information about the next introductory workshop can be found here: Deep Democracy Foundations September 2024
if you’d like to read more about lowering the water line, Priya has generously allowed us to share the chapter from her book with you: Lowering the Waterline.
Image credit: Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash.
