Felles visjoner – veikart til nytenkning og bærekraftig endring
At Tverrfaglig.no*, we work daily to develop models and practices for co-creation, social sustainability, and stakeholder collaboration.
We were naturally curious when we received Felles visjoner – veikart til nytenkning og bærekraftig endring, the Norwegian version of Creating Futures that Matter Today – Facilitating Change through Shared Vision by Marjorie Parker and Anna Pool.
After both Anders (Director) and Finn-Børge (Deputy Director) read the book, we agreed: this addresses something fundamental to our work – finding common understanding about what we want to achieve. In essence, broadening perspectives and aligning around a shared path forward.
Aligning around a shared path forward
The book rests on a simple yet powerful insight: people need common purpose and shared vision to create lasting change. The authors demonstrate how visions transcend management tools to become unifying compasses that generate meaning, engagement, and innovation across roles, disciplines, and sectors.
Throughout, it becomes clear that creating shared vision is not about speeches or slogans, but about building frameworks for authentic co-creation. The book offers dialogue principles, a clear process for developing shared vision, and practical steps for transforming vision into a living, viable practice.
Relevance far beyond management
Many will see this book as a valuable resource for organizational development and management—and it certainly is. However, we believe the methods it presents are just as relevant to the public sector, civil society, and local communities. Our experience shows that meaningful visions must go far beyond boardrooms and transcend the realm of leadership meetings and PowerPoint presentations.
The approaches can be effectively applied across diverse settings, including:
Parent-school partnerships in kindergartens and schools
User councils in health and welfare services
Local community projects and voluntary initiatives
Dialogue forums where different stakeholders collaborate to address complex social challenges.
Too often, these collaborative spaces become mired in problem-focused discussions and adversarial dynamics. This book demonstrates how to redirect attention toward shared opportunities, common aspirations, and energizing solutions that build momentum for positive change.
Relational capacity
A key insight is how shared visions contribute to building relational capacity. It emphasizes the importance of trust, dialogue, and collective creativity – the essential foundations that enable communities to create lasting results.
We see clear parallels with the Norwegian collaborative workplace model and with broader approaches to democracy and participation in practice.
Our recommendation
This is a book we highly recommend for leaders and anyone committed to meaningful community engagement, co-creation, and sustainable change.
Beyond its practical tools, the book offers a fundamental truth: genuine transformation occurs when people unite around shared values and common purpose. This resonates deeply with our mission at Tverrfaglig.no, where we recognize that lasting change emerges from collective commitment to what truly matters.
Moving forward, this book will serve as an essential reference as we continue developing local communities and strengthening social sustainability.
*Tverrfaglig translates to English as “interdisciplinary” or “cross-disciplinary”
English Edition “Creating Futures that Matter Today – Facilitating Change through Shared Vision” is available at Amazon.com.
Norwegian Edition: “Felles Visjoner – veikart til nytenkning og bærekraftig endring» is available at https://nygaardforlag.no/produkt/felles-visjoner/ or online book stores.
