Let's Create a Mega-Trend to Accelerate Innovation

I’m in love with this problem that we need to accelerate innovation for green, clean, inclusive and fair solutions...beyond sustainability transitions to regeneration and flourishing.

I believe that imagining these flourishing futures together is the key to achieving that: futures where people recognize that their needs are met in nourishing ways, so that we come back to the present and start creating them.

That makes futures thinking an - if not, THE - essential green competence that we all need.

I wanted to share insights with you, in a super-short e-book, a quick read over a coffee, as 8 guidelines for accelerating innovation. Just a little something to get you thinking.

You can get your free e-book here We Need To Imagine Flourishing Futures

INTERLUDE FOR CUP OF EXCELLENT COFFEE AND READ OF THE BOOK :)

With that in mind, there are two key trends that I'm seeing that I want to bring to your attention...which if we blend them together, enable us to unleash a mega-trend for transformational change.

In almost all sustainability/green job descriptions, there are two requirements for candidates, which I'm summarizing as follows because there are typically a thousand different iterations:

1. Be able to identify and share insights on sustainability trends to inform strategy across the business.
2. Do internal and external stakeholder engagement to engage people in sustainable practices.

Now, aside from the fact that these could count as two separate jobs in themselves, they definitely are tasks that require specific skills. If you haven't got these skills, it's going to make it really, really, really hard to create successful sustainability transition strategies.

I've got online, interactive classes happening next week (and ongoing), that can help you put the fundamentals in place, especially if you're applying for roles right now. I really want you to ace the interview...and the role:

Identify Trends Basics 11 Nov 24 @ 17h - 20h CET. Discover more and sign up.

Stakeholder Engagement Basics 12 Nov 24 @ 17h - 20h CET. Discover more and sign up.

From experience, I know that futures thinking and stakeholder engagement are essential green skills that also work together to, rather wonderfully, create the alchemy of imagination and creativity where people dare to dream about real transformational change.

Because, stakeholder engagement as a term can somehow separate us from the reality that stakeholders have needs, hopes and dreams that need expressing: including Nature as a silent stakeholder. In fact, stakeholder engagement is about community-building, rather an a quantitative transaction.

And, it's within this community, when we use futures thinking WITH and FOR stakeholders, we create the conditions for innovation that transforms ESG from a reporting exercise, into one of co-creation of truly spectacular solutions that add value; and where everyone becomes the green talent...the Futures Thinking Ripple Effect (see the e-book) starts to happen.

There's another layer here though, which is that by engaging your stakeholders using futures thinking, you'll also be able to collectively identify trends that inform your sustainability strategies and accelerate innovation. A beautiful, virtuous, serendipitous circle of foresight.

Now, THAT, is the work that makes real change happen! Boom!

Get in touch to talk about putting a stakeholder engagement program in place, which does exactly that. Start using futures thinking to connect people as a community, identify trends together and accelerate innovation. Drop me an email at [email protected] to arrange a time to talk.

In other exciting news, I’m truly delighted to be partnering with University of Geneva Geneva Responsible Entrepreneurship Center (GREC) as 'Futurist In Residence' ?? ?? ??.

We'll be exploring questions like, "What is the future of responsible entrepreneurship?" and "How will responsible business provide solutions that shape the world?"

Geneva Responsible Entrepreneurship Center was founded by Christina Hertel and Thomas Maillart and aims to build a strong culture of responsible entrepreneurship. GREC generates and disseminates knowledge at the intersection of entrepreneurial action and sustainable development. In particular, it focuses on reframing societal challenges into entrepreneurial opportunities, harnessing the power of collective action, building responsible businesses, and measuring sustainability and impact.

We are looking forward to welcoming you into intergenerational futures and foresight sessions, workshops and events, alongside the students at GREC and UNIGE, in imagining, designing and creating futures that set direction for transformational change.

Stay tuned so that you can join us and of course, we'd love it if you use some of your Corporate Social Responsibility budget to sponsor an event. Email me.

(c) 2024. Elaine France. Flow In Action. Flourishing Futures Collective.