News
Learning to let go of power: the Losing Control conference
- 22 January 2019
- Posted by: Helen Nicol
- Category: News

The date draws near for the Losing Control 2019 conference, and event (and an organisation) devoted to the devolution of power structures in change-making.
Individuals, organisations, businesses and foundations are searching for new strategies to improve their effectiveness. We need to let go of traditional ‘command and control’ organisational models and standard campaign techniques in favour of methods that focus on flatter hierarchies, dispersed leadership, collective decision-making and grassroots participation.We need to lose some control.
Losing Control started as a one-off event in Oxford hosted by the Social Change Agency and Practical Governance in April 2017. More than 100 participants heard from people who have been at the forefront of accelerating social change, for example by adopting more inclusive decision making, creating collaborative campaigns, promoting genuine diversity and giving those with lived experience a voice. We explored strategies and tools that could help people to do this themselves such as online tools, new governance models, storytelling and movement building strategies; and worked together to support 10 social movements to find their own path to Lose Control.
Ignited by the need, the success of our first event and a deep belief in our shared philosophy, Losing Control is a network powered by YOU. This community enables you to connect, inspire, learn and debate about how to lose control in an open, honest and practical way.
Join and shape our network; come to and contribute to the event; add your own resources and use the existing ones so we can support each other to tackle the practical challenges and discuss the difficult questions that arise when trying to let go of power.
Losing Control 2019 will take place in Birmingham on the 5th and 6th of February; book your place now.