I remember when writing my second book pouring through tons of research on the new sciences of ecology, quantum physics and neurosciences. They uniquely displaced many of the machine metaphors that dominated our thinking about human systems since inception of the Industrial Age. What I learned is that when we get down to the essence of matter, we find dynamic energy and information. This becomes an important and powerful lens through which to understanding and growing organizations. It applies equally to communities and networks.
From this perspective we would stay keenly intererested in what kinds of information flows and gets stuck. We would pay attentiont to the energetic quality of events, conversations and efforts. We would create new pathways for information and energy flows.