A Charter for Surge

The world is full of surge events, some of enormous magnitude and impact. Often that impact is highly destructive and misery-making. Humanity needs to improve its ability to design and implement surge events, partly to respond to surge crises and partly to effect improvements and accomplish goals. Improving our ability at all levels of organisation to create and manage surge events is one of the keys to a better future for humanity.

Q. So what’s needed? What do our ambitions need to be?

• For humanity to become a Surge Savvy and a Surge Competent species – a species with the knowledge and wisdom to know how and when to initiate and participate in surge activity, and to do so effectively. Surge Savviness includes recognising the range and significance of surge phenomena.

• For surge thinking and surge consciousness to be a universal capacity embedded into every individual and organisation at all levels and of all kinds.

• For each one of us to operate in our personal and professional lives with surge as a realisable option for responding to and creating surge events. This includes being ready to become rapid, robust and rightly-judged responders to events and to choose to accomplish goals through surge-type action.

• For every organisation and community to have a surge gear – ie to have the wherewithal to operate in surge mode (as opposed to “normal” mode) as and when required.

• For organisations in overtly surge fields – those with extensive experience of surge activity and mandates to surge – to become models of surge excellence for all other organisations, including through sharing their expertise and experience for the benefit of all.

• For Surge Studies to have developed to the point where it can make a significant contribution to the surge savviness and competence of all who engage with it.

• For there to be both generalist and specialist surge consultants (or surge management consultants) available to all kinds of organisations for advice and practical help.

• For every appropriate course and training programme to include a surge curriculum. This includes provision for all pupils so that they leave school with a level of surge competence.