The Creative Field: An Alternative Lens

Post written in June 16, 2025 for my Organisational Gardening newsletter

The Concept of the Creative Field of an Initiative

A Creative Field is the invisible yet very real space where an initiative begins and grows. It appears well before any formal structure, legal entity or official plan.

Inspired by the work of Peter Koenig, the concept of a Creative Field, is that it continues to exist even after an organisation or company has been formally formed, although it may no longer be visible or consciously held. It acts like a field of attraction. People feel drawn to it before they can say exactly why.

Think of it like an allotment plot: a patch of ground where ideas, relationships and roles are sown, nurtured and, when necessary, composted. All this happens in service of harvesting something worthwhile, producing outcomes that matter.

The Mindset Shift: Seeing Initiatives as Evolving

Many people are used to thinking of organisations as fixed things, complete with names, logos and legal status. But what if we paid more attention to how initiatives actually organise over time?

Tom Nixon encourages us to treat organising as a verb. Structures and roles can emerge organically, like trellises built only once the vines begin to grow.

At the centre of every Creative Field is a source: the person who sees the original possibility, connects to it and takes the first step. Recognising the source helps us move beyond flat or overly collective models where no one is quite sure who is holding what.

Creative Fields thrive when we honour the both-and dynamic: individual vision and collective intelligence. The source sees and invites others to bring it to life through their own individual creative source. Together, the field flourishes.

Principles of Creative Fields

Every initiative begins with a source – someone who sees the possibility and steps in first.
The field is invisible but real – a relational and energetic space that can be sensed and felt.
Creative Fields follow arcs – with beginnings, turning points and either succession or closure.
Trust in the source and the initial impulse allows others to contribute freely and effectively.
When the source is “done” the field often begins to fade – unless a conscious handover (succession) takes place.

These principles can help us read the energy of our organisations differently.

The Practice of Creative Field Mapping

Creative Field Mapping is a way to make what is normally hidden, visible. It is not a rigid process, more like a garden walk, noticing where life is moving and where it is no longer flowing.

You will be asking:

Who was the original source of this initiative?
What was the original impulse or calling?
Who is holding the field now? Is the source still actively involved?
Where are the edges, what belongs in this field and what does not?
What sub-initiatives are alive within this field today?

These guiding questions support a simple practice:

Clarify the outer circle by defining the purpose and scope of the initiative.
Map the nested circles by identifying sub-initiatives and their respective sources.
Acknowledge tensions by noticing overlaps, confusion or energy that feels stuck.
Maintain the map by revisiting it regularly as fields grow, shrink or shift.

Mapping helps teams work with more coherence. It creates shared clarity without the need to formalise everything too early.

The Tool: Maptio

Maptio is a simple and powerful tool for making Creative Fields visible.

It helps individuals and organisations map initiatives, sources, collaborators and purposes, revealing how energy is currently organised and where it may want to go next.

Maptio is especially helpful for teams working in self-managing or Teal-inspired ways. Rather than relying on static charts, it shows the real structure: how initiatives relate, evolve and grow.

You can explore Maptio through their Learning Hub, or try it yourself to start seeing the shape of your organisation more clearly.

Further Resources

If you would like to explore the ideas behind Creative Fields more deeply, here are some recommended starting points:

Work with Source – Tom Nixon: A foundational resource on the role of the source in initiating and stewarding creative fields and initiatives. https://workwithsource.com/what-is-source/source-and-initiative/
Creative Field Mapping: A process for seeing, sensing and mapping Creative Fields within living organisations. https://fieldmapping.org/
Tom Nixon: The Creative Field (YouTube Talk) A talk exploring the deeper principles of Creative Fields and their relationship to initiatives, leadership and emergence. https://youtu.be/uSGafBb0ius?feature=shared
Maptio A visual tool to map and maintain Creative Fields, sources, collaborators and initiatives within purpose-led teams and organisations. https://maptio.com/
Maptio Learning Hub A companion resource offering guides, tutorials and deeper insights for using Maptio effectively. https://learning.maptio.com/