When you read this, it will have been almost a week since President Biden ended his campaign. While we’ve heard a lot of different perspectives, I think Nature would have some interesting things to say about Biden’s choice, which was really to simply…let go.
Insights on Letting Go from Nature’s Adaptive Cycle
We can gain some deep insights into politics from Nature’s adaptive cycles. Like an infinity loop placed on its side, an adaptive cycle is an ongoing flow that moves from exploration, to the birth of something new, to sustaining of what works, to letting go. It’s only by letting go that new opportunities and exploration can occur. This has been the underlying design of nature for nearly 4 billion years. Nature always lets go of resources that are tied up in sustaining something that no longer fits its purpose. Those those resources can then support the next iteration of evolution, and so the infinite loop of the adaptive cycle continues.
I see Biden’s decision to step out of the Presidential race as a natural part of the adaptive cycle. One of the signs that a system in Nature needs to let go of what it is doing is that it becomes more rigid before it finally collapses. Then, it actively releases to move toward the future. Viewing it through the lens of the adaptive cycle makes Biden’s choice a natural part of life. It demonstrates the evolution of self and system as one part falls away to allow another to take over.
Other Perceptions of Biden’s Choice
I like listening to people discussing important events, and I find it interesting to try to unpack the assumptions that are shaping those perceptions. Here are a few I’ve heard recently:
- No one would proactively give up power. This take is is about ego, influence, and hierarchy. Power is to be collected and hoarded, not given away.
- Choosing not to run damages his reputation. This might reflect a belief that not running means Biden is weak. He’s a victim of his party’s demands and the choice somehow diminishes him and his leadership over the past four years
- Biden’s decision is a patriotic act that helps the country and his party move forward. This perspective suggests that knowing when to step down is an act based on a larger purpose. It is part of wisdom gained that helps us understand when it’s time to let go.
Knowing When to Leave
I am familiar with the idea that that letting go is based on wisdom, not weakness. Before I started my consulting business 25 years ago, I worked at a Benedictine College. When I started my job, I talked with some of the college’s directors who were Benedictine sisters and my new direct reports. Each of them shared, in their own unique way, that they would like me to let them know when it was time for them to leave their position, especially if they couldn’t see it for themselves. They were asking for a direct and open conversation about acknowledging their service and inviting them to explore their next adventure (or retirement) whenever I deemed it necessary.
The conversations with these deeply spiritual women were fascinating to me. They were modeling the idea of not holding on beyond their ability, as a way to serve the larger “whole” of the organization. Ego was absent from their motivation. They cared more about serving the highest purpose of the college than themselves. When and if there came a time when another could serve that purpose better than they could, they would choose not to hold tightly to their positions. They would choose to serve the present and future of the organization over self and leave their positions.
The example of the Benedictine Sisters provides a perspective that is countercultural to the way most people see positional power. I think this is might be why some people are struggling to make sense of Biden’s choice.
Biden as a Role Model
Maybe Biden’s choice can influence others who are holding on too tightly to their status quo.
Perhaps Joe Biden is a role model for us to consider whether holding on is actually holding us back.
Maybe his decision can help many of my generation consider whether it’s time to let the next generation lead so that the next natural stage of evolution can occur.
Because it’s Nature’s perspective, that the more we hold on, the more rigid things become. And when that happens, the system will trigger a collossal collapse to facilitate the adaptive cycle. Whether we’re ready or not.
Thanks for your reflection on Biden’s letting go and how nature embraces its own renewal cycle. The cyclic loop that you mentioned for releasing resources has been so helpful in starting a discussion about what needs to end for the new to begin.
In my work with senior leaders, especially in family businesses. this letting go process is often one where the “wealth creator” often stays way past their time of being nourishing to the vitality of the enterprise and the family relationships. People have asked how to bring up this transition I have offhandedly said “with the mouth” speaking directly-out loud with wondering about how renewal of the system and leadership could bring energy to the family? One approach that has been helpful is to bring it up during a walk and talk so we are not facing each other face to face but from the side, allowing both of us to see toward the future and have our bodies in motion. We grew up walking on the Savanah’s of Africa not sitting in desks on zoom. Move the conversations forward with some movement.
As Elders we can model gracious ways to embrace our own letting go using
nature’s perspective, that the more we hold on, the more rigid things become. Letting go is a regenerative act to avoid the collapse that can be triggered by this rigidity.
Once again a deep and inspiring take on letting go…as always nature has hit the nail on the head.