In our work supporting change for the wellbeing of people and nature, we often face systems and practices that weren’t built for us or our goals — or in some cases, were actively designed to work against us. Like the walls of a building, these visible or invisible structures shape the paths we walk, the decisions we make, the resources we have access to, and, ultimately, which voices are more easily heard.
That alone can be difficult to traverse. But there’s also uncertainty when systems we’ve learned to navigate begin to unravel. When the tide starts to shift — when practices that used to exist are ignored, dismantled or uprooted — we are left feeling disoriented and unsure of how to move forward.
What do we do when the systems don’t work or have stopped making sense?
The reality is, enduring, meaningful change often requires changing systems. Helpfully, people can and do change systems. In our relatively short history on earth, we’ve seen human systems evolve, crumble, and re-emerge — sometimes for the better, sometimes not. However, it is reassuring to know that they are malleable. And we can play an active role in shaping them.
Viewed from this perspective, the real question becomes: What kind of change do we want to see? And where and how can we engage to make it happen?
Working Within: Change from the Inside
Many of us are a part of groups or organizations whose rules and practices we’re looking to change and may try to enact change from the inside.
At COMPASS, we often support people working within big, established systems like government agencies or academic institutions who are forging change from within by challenging unjust practices, structures and metrics and making way for more equitable approaches.
This was powerfully reflected by participants in our Leaders for Sea Change program, who co-authored a paper calling on the scientific community to adopt a more holistic approach to research — one that fosters meaningful relationships with the people and places of each study area. Their paper, “Centering relationships to place for more meaningful research and engagement,” also provides pathways for colleagues to enact change at the individual, collective, and systemic level, drawing on their own experience working within the scientific system.
Being “in the room where it happens” can come with unique opportunities. When you are on the inside, you may better understand how the system works and have more direct access and power to influence its processes and outcomes. But it’s not always easy. If you don’t have decision-making power, or if progress is slow, you might feel discouraged and experience burnout.
Still, many stay not because they think the system is perfect, but because they believe they can improve it from where they are.
And in some cases, like public institutions and government, we need to remember: these systems influence a broad range of outcomes. It can be strategic to establish and protect one’s seat at the table and to use this power to bring others in.
Working With: Building Bridges
Others create change by working across boundaries — connecting groups, perspectives, and ideas that haven’t always been in conversation. This kind of bridge-building can create shared understanding, establish trust, and open space for new ways of doing things.
We take this approach in our partnership with the Indigenous Engagement Institute (IEI). Through workshops with IEI, western scientists learn about Ethical Space — a framework for fostering mutual respect and understanding between western and Indigenous knowledge systems. This kind of bridge-building makes it possible to see the broader context and come to a new understanding that strengthens both relationships and research.
As Leigh Welling, Park Superintendent of Wind Cave National Park reflected, “The Ethical Space work has helped me to understand the richness of the stories that are being shared — and how those are relevant to what [wester scientists] sometimes think are the pertinent questions.”
Bridge-building is also a big part of our Communication in Context workshops, where participants work with and learn from policy, media, and community experts who share insights that expand participants’ perspectives and help them learn how to build bridges to engage beyond their own fields.
With the right circumstances, we see attitudes, beliefs, and world views shift and expand. New perspectives often lead to new questions, new language, and sometimes entirely new practices and structures.
But this kind of change doesn’t happen automatically. For this approach to succeed, everyone involved needs to show up with openness and humility.
Working Against: Challenging the Status Quo
Then there are those who work from the outside: pushing back, calling out harm, and dreaming up entirely new ways of doing things.
When a system causes harm or excludes entire communities, we need bold voices reminding us that the status quo isn’t inevitable. That there’s possibility beyond it. Advocacy and activism readily come to mind as one set of tools with which to do this change work, but at COMPASS we encourage people to expand their toolkit to consider the power of storytelling, collaboration, innovation, and communication that can reframe existing narratives and help people imagine something different.
One example is Tiny Beam Fellow and researcher, Raisa Pina, who studies the meat industry and globalization. Through her research and communication, Raisa is illuminating the hidden systems that influence our food choices and challenges us to envision new ways to feed communities that prioritize the wellbeing of people and nature. This kind of work helps others see that alternative paths are not only possible, but better for our shared future.
Shared Vision > Shared Path
Different people will find themselves drawn to different approaches. Some of us will feel called to use the power we have to work from within the systems we find ourselves. Others will build bridges across them. Some will challenge them outright. And others still will pick a combination of different approaches.
There’s no single way to create change. In fact, lasting change usually comes from a multifaceted approach with multiple people working across the spectrum — insiders pushing for reform, bridge-builders creating new connections, and outsiders pushing us to think differently.
It’s not about whether we share the same path. It’s about sharing the same vision.
So, where do you see yourself? What are you best positioned to do right now?
If you want to work for change and are wondering how to engage, know that you have options. Change is possible, and your part in it matters.
And you don’t have to navigate it alone. At COMPASS, we offer tailored support to meet you where you are and guide you where you want to go. That might look like personalized coaching to clarify your goals, convening support to help you connect people from different backgrounds around a shared issue, or communication workshops that offer tools, strategies, and space to practice and refine your message.
Wherever you are on your path, we’re here to help you along the way.
