INNOVATION THROUGH FUSION
Innovation through Fusion
California, a state of influence and power, full of innovative ideas and people to drive them forward. I love living here. We are often at the forefront of progressive social policy, and I feel surrounded by people who have the courage to try to live differently and advocate to make our community better. That being said, I also know people who fight just to get by in this well-resourced state. And while many believe that all of us Californians should live in dignity, we are clearly not providing that opportunity for everyone.
If this vision for all of us living in dignity can be true, we will have to shift our ways of being for the future. Innovation is often defined as a way to find new solutions that carry us forward.
Miriam Webster’s Dictionary defines innovation as: the introduction of something new.
I would like to offer a different definition of innovation that grounds us in our interdependence instead of external independence. Author Octavia Butler says “civilization is to groups what intelligences is to individuals. It is a means of combining the intelligence of many to achieve ongoing group adaptation."
My definition of Innovation: a different way forward arrived at through a confluence of ideas.
One person’s “new” idea might be exciting at first glance, but to arrive at a truly deep outcome, our ideas need to be fused together. For us to innovate, we must recognize our connection and understand that our liberation is bound up with each other. People hold the most powerful solutions to their own problems. If this is true, then we must listen first to the voices closest to the problem, building capacity and connection from within to achieve enduring solutions. We are stronger and more creative when we see the ways we are connected and strengthen those connections. Emergent Strategy suggests that, “instead of starting up new ideas/organizations all the time, we would want to listen, support, collaborate, merge, and grow through fusion, not competition."
Colibri: Creating Conditions for Interdependent Innovation
At Colibrí, we are determined to facilitate the conditions so that you and your team navigate change powerfully and have your deepest impact. Our liberation requires you to fulfill your most important role.
To do this, we will weave connections within your team and with you. We believe and trust in the community; only together can we develop a creative and elegant way forward. We commit to nurturing strong relationships with you that incorporate multiple perspectives and are co-designed by those most impacted by the problem. This will empower you to identify efficient and long-lasting solutions that build on your existing strengths.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Set up a 30-minute conversation with us to learn more about Colibrí and how we can help you by clicking on the link below.
I commit to sharing what I learn from people like you through these blogs. To sign up for our newsletter to get our latest blogs (we promise not to spam!), click on the link below. Like the colibrí (hummingbird), we will work hard, cross-pollinate ideas, and help living systems bloom. Let’s stay in connection.
In connection,
Maddie Orenstein
*Nerdy side notes:
Google translate will show definitions of words over time! You can look at how innovation has changed in our common language.
This is also a blog that interviews 15 people for their definition of innovation
Why a picture of a fungi? Networks of fungi connect trees to each other helping keep the individual and the overall forest healthy and thriving.