Why does shapeshifter work matter, and why does it matter now? This section steps back to look at the broader picture.
We notice a rise in shapeshifting roles and practices, which seem to correlate with major shifts in how work is organised and valued:
In short, as systems become more interconnected and less stable, more work happens between formal structures, and more people are asked to hold those in-between spaces.
At the same time, shapeshifting is not entirely new. Across history and cultures, there have been other types of roles focused on moving between worlds, disciplines, communities, institutions, or ways of knowing. From shamans, merchants, and diplomats, to organisers, translators, fixers, and boundary-spanners, forms of work-in-between have long been essential.
This section gathers signals — emerging patterns, roles, and trends — alongside precedents that offer historical or cultural continuity. The aim is not to draw straight lines or claim direct inheritance, but to provide context: to show that shapeshifting work both responds to present conditions and belongs to a longer lineage of human coordination and sense-making.
If the model helps articulate what this work is, and the tools support how it can be done, this section explores why it keeps reappearing, and why it may be increasingly central to the way we work and organise in the years ahead.
This section is a work in progress. Please leave a comment or reach out to make suggestions on developing it.