Rapid changes and profound disruptions are creating a shift in human consciousness. People are more deeply conscious now than ever before. People are leaning towards more collaborative, participative, transparent, creative, and innovative interactions and relationships with others – interactions and relationships that are meant to bring out the best in individuals and organizations, and transform communities for the better. This is what the Art of Hosting is all about.
The Art of Hosting is an approach to leadership that scales up from the personal to the systemic using personal practice, dialogue, facilitation and the co-creation of innovation to address complex challenges. The global community known as “Art of Hosting” gave its name to the facilitation technic it origin from. Today there is numerus of independent institutes practicing the Art of Hosting within and outside the global community.

Today’s communities face unprecedented challenges that affect the well-being of their constituents and the community as a whole. What the Art of Hosting does is it guides participants in building unique relationships with their community. It is through collective learning that a community or an organization finds solutions the fastest way. Through the Art of Hosting, it’s possible for people to learn together and build partnerships that help them work better. The Art of Hosting allows individuals to connect with other heads of resilience and sustainability movements, deepen such connection, and come up with plans and practices to achieve a sustainable and resilient community.

When the world’s best entrepreneurs come together and realize a shared vision that will change the world for the better, we have what we call collaborative entrepreneurship. It’s an improved version of social entrepreneurship in which instead of helping entrepreneurs individually, entrepreneurs from different places are gathered to support and engage with other entrepreneurs. The Art of Hosting encourages entrepreneurs to engage in deep and meaningful conversations with other entrepreneurs, and work together towards a common goal.

Pre-sensing, participation, contribution, and co-creation are the four-fold practices that make the Art of Hosting unique and engaging. It begins with bringing our undistracted and prepared self to any situation or event that we’re in. We need to “host” ourselves first we’re able to “host” others. We need to be open to ourselves first before we welcome the thoughts, feelings, and ideas of others around us. Being present also means being aware of our environment and the people around us. The next thing we need to do is to participate and practice conversation. And the only way to effectively do this is to speak our truth in a genuine way and listen deeply and with an open heart to the people around us. The third practice is about hosting conversations. As the host, we take responsibility for building and maintaining a realm in which people can collectively work at their best. We should be willing to start conversations that matter and ensure that we get meaningful and useful answers, learning, and insights from such conversation. Finally, we have co-creation. Here, we’re not mere audiences but key persons who positively contribute to the group. It’s more than just doing things together. It’s about sharing our knowledge and experiences with other people.
People are at their best when they engage in meaningful conversations and create deep connections with people around them. The Art of Hosting is a gateway for individuals to respond to challenges and problems in innovative, creative, unique, and effective ways. After the workshop, people get better at decision-making, their relationships towards other people improve, there is more room for innovation, and people respond better and faster to challenges and opportunities. The fact that the Art of Hosting is considered as the best dialogue tool to encourage people towards social and economic cooperation simply means that it is geared towards creating a more sustainable future for communities, businesses, and organizations.  The Art of Hosting is a giant leap from existing traditional leadership practices that are more often than not considered outdated and ineffective.

For nearly a century creativity has been understood as a key ingredient of business creation across thousands of design who took shape as product, service, solution and social planning. Participative innovation comes with a new set of values to reinforce the creative potential of organisation. Participative innovation is ether understood as an internal phenomenon of organisation or a manifestation which is happening outside the boundary of the corporate structure. Initially we would have a look to both the aspects. In house participative innovation refers to the fact that workers and managers associate to create new business models and solutions for the consumers. We call participative innovation the point that the workers who are involved in the creative process are not supposed to be in charge of innovation contribution. Participative innovation implies that an organisation would have adopted a politic of democratization of the creative process across its managerial layers to leverage new business opportunities. For the past 3 decades, participative innovation has grown significantly. The company Google who institutionalized this value, made it mandatory to workers to involve themselves in prospective projects a certain amount of time from their schedule. It is believed that number of Google innovation came from this initiative. Giving workers some freedom to problem solving in the ever fragmented industry leads companies to new areas of business development. Today, there is a common acceptance that participative innovation is promising. More recently participative innovation has got a new sense by including public and user participation. Participative innovation advocates the importance of including the user on the conceptualisation of product, service and policy.  This second aspect of participative innovation interest us more particularly has it may lead to social entrepreneurship.

To demonstrate the potential of participative innovation I shall dress a parallel with design thinking that is most of the time a non-inclusive discipline. Bruce Nussebaum has demonstrated that failure in design thinking is due to monopolistic approach by most companies and political groups towards the society with regards to value creation. Rather than wanting to “change the world” through design thinking and business it should be like society leaders support people in making the world as they want using participative innovation. In short, it is questioned that shifting the power of design thinking from the designer’s hand to the common man’s hand could lead to a more effective way of producing innovation. In this research I try to demonstrate that social changes lead people to be increasingly reactive to systems and solutions presented to them. We witness a re­-appropriation of the industry, the politic and the social.
At the lecture of sociological concepts of identity, and essays from notorious designers, philosopher and business mam we assume that our economy could be at the beginning of a new economic order that would give power to consumer as a democratic necessity to balance the corporate lobby. This approach sometimes referred as ‘prosumerism’ would radically transform the purpose of design in the corporate environment. It is therefore believed that corporate would be re-elected to the role of social enabler rather that been the creative think- tank of the consumerist society has it has been the case since the Second World War. However, participative innovation leads to large questioning in time of economic recession and environmental instability. Participation is negatively associated to “working for free” with concerns in terms of intellectual properties. Today’s businesses are facing the issue of associating with the consumer through participative innovation while maintaining a climate of fair exchange.

By stimulating participative innovation business and society put themselves at risk that a large part of the creative potential slip from their hands and get developed by third party individuals and organization. However participative innovation requires the nest of a cybernetic environment for business development what make it mandatory for businesses to concede part of its intellectual production. As Prahalad and Krishnan mention in the New Age of Innovation; “"No firm is big enough in scope and size to satisfy the experiences of one single consumer" and that is the whole challenge of a participative innovation approach. User requirement get so fragmented that no business can have the capacity of responding to all the facet of the consumer experience. This statement also implies that ultimately, firms would depend on individual and/or start-up to generate the value necessary to respond to the needs of unique consumers.

​Neuroplasticity in simple words is changing capacity of the brain all time. Science has proved every time you learn a new factor or skill, your brain changes chemically, structurally or functionally leading to a new learning process. The primary driver for the change in your brain is your behavior. By repeating the behavior, you can tune your brain. 

The degree of neuroplasticity is extremely variable among individuals and therefore one size approach does not fit all. So, you can tune your brain and develop your personalized brain by all yourself. Brains are shaped by the world around you, by what you encounter, by what you do, by what you explain. Its best explained by The Tetris effect. When you play Tetris game the effect of it skids into real life. Even after shutting off you still feel those Tetris blocks falling in your mind’s eye. For example, when you are in grocery shopping and just played the game in recent time and due to Tetris effect, you start yourself thinking about rearranging items on grocery shelves and carts in the parking lot. That’s your mind continues to play the game, even when you’re physically not.  So, when you cultivate a behavior (any time of your life) and repeat it for few times then the brain automatically captures the rhythm and make the behavior easy to adapt. So, “Tetris learning effect” in which the brain consumed less energy as mastery of the game rose, as you learn the game, it becomes more automatic.”
​Once when we understand this phenomenon we can tune our brain and can further put our effort to understand how to harness brain’s plasticity by training the brain to make positive patterns more automatic.

Before analyzing the turning to positive patterns I would like to introduce the characteristic of our brains which are interestingly negativity biased. For that unfortunate characteristics, we tend to remember more the bad stuff happened to us than the good stuff that happened in a day. This biased nature of brain is such negative superpower and therefore have stronger impact and thus blindfolded towards positivity. This leads to further damage to productivity, creativity, decision making skills of an individual. To live positive life, we need to get rid of the negative impact caused negative actions and thoughts. But the setback of negative impact is not as simple as nullifying it with equal number of positive impact. Meaning, if you face one negative action in your routine you cannot nullify it with one positive action instead you have to create three positive power packed actions to suppress the negative impact. In case we fail to do it after a point an individual will feeling like the whole world is against him.
So the big question is how to break out of that negative feedback loop and rewire our brains to think positively. When we practice looking for and being more aware of positive aspects of life, we fight off the brain’s natural tendency to scan for and spot the negatives. Naturally we bring ourselves into better balance. Just like playing and getting automatic rhythm in the Tetris game.
Whenever you do specific tasks repeatedly, they take up less of your brain power over time. And that’s amazing, as this will be the basis for a huge opportunity to change our behavior for the better. We can retrain the brain to scan for the good things in life—to help us see more possibility, to feel more energy, and to succeed at higher levels. The impact of practicing and retaining a more positive thinking pattern, especially on our well being and happiness, can be even more powerful.

When we get time to relax and play with our loved ones, when we have time to enjoy the rain with a hot chocolate, when we have time to recover from illness without antibiotics, when we pen down about dream being and in many of such times we realize that we are victimized by world or by super powers or by our routines. Then we categorize ourselves into one of those mentioned below

1. Live the lives of others
2. Live a routine life
3. Achieved everything in life but unsatisfied
4. Cannot stand for other choices
5. Do not realize the baby inside me
6. Cannot do better than others
7. Think oneself is not beautiful enough
8. Cannot do as good as they expect
9. I want to be like her/him
10. I run on time and orders

We acknowledge belonging to one of them but blames that some need or power is pushing us to do so. We take break or go for holiday and resume our activities like robots and thus underestimating our self-worth.
​Self-worth is journeying to know how beautiful you are and how powerful you are in your unique way. It’s about finding the way of the resources in oneself and recognize in others. It is guidance to self-identify and self-esteem in robotic world of default demands.

Self-worth resides in the word” I” most powerful and humble form. When you self-praise and can open it in all ways possible it becomes your assets for happiness. Self-worth can be pedal to metal by understanding the three subjects “I”, “amplification” and “no-lies”.  Decoding these three subjects helps transcends whole person (with his problems and goodness) into a unique space of creativity. This space of creativity creates a platform to reveal ‘let go quality’ in oneself and fills it with kindness and explorative ideas.On saturation with “I” and “amplification” the space of creativity is bulged with innovative thoughts (just like a volcano before its eruption) about one self that one’s problem becomes so small and invisible in comparison to one’s capabilities.
When a person says himself in his singularity, not only does it radiate but naturally his words belong to everyone they resonate with. The "I" of the speaker becomes the "I" of the listener. Self-praise welcomes the acceptance of I and which further unfolds into beauty of “us” and connects oneself to its ecosystem in endowing attitude.  ​
Self-praise rediscover the "fountain of youth" that sparkles in each and welcome the inner being in the fullness of all our talents (even those who are still more or less "asleep")?

One of the oldest techniques “Magical ancient language of poetry” is put into action to self-praise oneself. In the magic of describing, beyond our biographies, in our stories that constitute life we shall search ourselves in singularities perceived in fullness. By doing so no fear of writing you are conquering because you will uncoil the surplus words in you that are waiting to patiently flourish. Self-praise in no limitations will make you recognize how much self-worth you are how much worth you are to the world.
“I is the primitive word and found it in everyone, you don’t need to be a supreme poet to echo the power between the word (I) and the world -Georges Steiner
​

Positive Intelligence is the science and practice of developing mastery over your own mind so you can reach your full potential for both happiness and success. 

​Every human has in him something called Self sabotage (Saboteurs) and Sage factors (serving factors) which work out the Positive Intelligence. Neuroscience proves it’s all in humans how they increase or suppress the release of these factors depending on the region activated.
To illustrate, when your mind prepares you for tomorrow performance in calmness, it is serving you, causing positive action.  When it wakes you up at 3:00 a.m. anxious about the meeting and warning you for the hundredth time about the many consequences of failing, it is sabotaging you; it is simply exhausting your mental resources without any redeeming value.  
When you are in self-sabotage state, Saboteurs are dominating in your mind. They are no means doing good for you but acting against your best interest. They are your internal enemies with negative tone, beliefs, destructive thoughts and assumptions degrading you mentally and physically. Every ounce of your energy wasted on anxiety, stress, anger, frustration, self-doubt, impatience, despair, regret, resentment, restlessness, guilt, or shame is a choice that was made by the Saboteurs in your mind. They come in ten varieties:  the Judge, Controller, Victim, Stickler, Pleaser, Avoider, Restless, Hyper-Rational, Hyper-Achiever, and Hyper-Vigilant ( with reference to Shirzad Chamine ).
The counterpart of Saboteurs is the Sage.  Your Sage has access to your wisdom, deeper insights, and often untapped mental powers.  Every challenge can be met by the Sage, its perspective, and its five great powers (empathy, discovery, invention, wisdom, and resolute action). The Sage’s perspective and powers generate only positive feelings.
Are you positively intelligent? It depends on whether your brain is dominated with saboteurs or serving factors. You can measure the saboteurs or serving factors release in your brain with help of tool called Positive Intelligence Quotient (PQ).  It is your Positive Intelligence score expressed as a percentage, ranging from 0 to 100.  In effect, your PQ is the percentage of time your mind is serving you as opposed to sabotaging you.  For example, a PQ of 75 means that your mind is serving you 75% of the time and sabotaging you about 25% of the time. If we define happiness by the percentage of time we experience life’s positive and desirable feelings, your PQ score becomes your happiness score. You only need to know someone’s PQ score to know how happy they are. To increase your PQ score your have to expose and weaken your saboteurs and strengthen your original true self which can un-tap your sage powers. 

​In vortex of negativity you are dragged down when you are with them. In such meetings, you realize you are anxious, self-conscious, suspicious or defensive. A negative force of the mind chatter inside your own head and exhaust you so much that your do not know how to stop it.
Conversely, in vortex of positivity it’s like walking into a room where the energy is so positive and uplifting that you immediately feel better, more hopeful, and more energized. Even in presence of a leader you stand an inch taller and believe in yourself more, regardless of whether he or she is even talking to you.  Your mind follows a flow that you embraced every challenge and obstacle as a fun game or opportunity. These effects are the result of the invisible PQ vortex that each individual or team exhibits at any given time. This vortex affects your energy level, mood, and perspective, often without you realizing it. 
If you are in net negative vortex, it’s like you are caught with headwind where u can still reach the destination, but you’d use much more energy and take longer. In case you are in Net positive vortex, you feel uplifted naturally as if you are with a tailwind.
Notice that a PQ of 75 means that outside the neutral times, your mind is in Saboteur mode 25% of the time and Sage mode 75%.  What this indicates is that you need at least 3 times more positivity to counteract the damaging impact of every negative Saboteur impact.  This shouldn’t be surprising as the brain is biased to notice, remember, exaggerate, and react to the negative stimuli due to the evolutionary survival advantage of the negative bias.  Surprisingly, only 20% of us score above a PQ of 75, and that’s why only 20% of individuals and teams achieve their true potential.
So, you can imagine how subjective wellbeing (happiness) is important (PQ>75) to be productive and successful. Most of the people believe that happiness is followed by success. Therefore, they work hard, improve their ranks, become successful and believe they can be happy. What works is reverse of formula when you are balance your positive activities you are happy and when you are happy you achieve your success and you achieve it effortlessly. When you are happy you have positive mind set which improves the performance in productivity creativity and engagement at work and otherwise. That’s exactly positive intelligence is all about, to keep yourself happy.

​Neuroplasticity in simple words is changing capacity of the brain all time. Science has proved every time you learn a new factor or skill, your brain changes chemically, structurally or functionally leading to a new learning process. The primary driver for the change in your brain is your behavior. By repeating the behavior, you can tune your brain.
The degree of neuroplasticity is extremely variable among individuals and therefore one size approach does not fit all. So, you can tune your brain and develop your personalized brain by all yourself. Brains are shaped by the world around you, by what you encounter, by what you do, by what you explain. Its best explained by The Tetris effect. When you play Tetris game the effect of it skids into real life. Even after shutting off you still feel those Tetris blocks falling in your mind’s eye. For example, when you are in grocery shopping and just played the game in recent time and due to Tetris effect, you start yourself thinking about rearranging items on grocery shelves and carts in the parking lot. That’s your mind continues to play the game, even when you’re physically not.  So, when you cultivate a behavior (any time of your life) and repeat it for few times then the brain automatically captures the rhythm and make the behavior easy to adapt. So, “Tetris learning effect” in which the brain consumed less energy as mastery of the game rose, as you learn the game, it becomes more automatic.”
Once when we understand we can tune our brain, now we can put effort to understand how to harness brain’s plasticity by training our brain to make positive patterns more automatic.
Surprisingly our brains are negativity biased. For that unfortunate reasons, we tend to remember the bad stuff happened to us than the good stuff that happened in a day. And negative is superpower and thus have stronger impact than the positivity thus eating away the productivity, creativity, decision making skills. Negative impact of setbacks in your work is three times as powerful in affecting motivation than positive progress.
The good news is we can break out of that negative feedback loop and we can rewire our brains to think positively. When we practice looking for and being more aware of positive aspects of life, we fight off the brain’s natural tendency to scan for and spot the negatives. Naturally we bring ourselves into better balance. Just like playing and getting automatic rhythm in the Tetris game.
Whenever you do specific tasks repeatedly, they take up less of your brain power over time. And that’s amazing, as this will be the basis for a huge opportunity to change our behavior for the better. We can retrain the brain to scan for the good things in life—to help us see more possibility, to feel more energy, and to succeed at higher levels. The impact of practicing and retaining a more positive thinking pattern, especially on our well being and happiness, can be even more powerful.

 ​Prof Chris Goto demystified mindfulness as a kind of consciousness discipline that exists in the intersection of myriad forms of knowledge and inquiry rooted in the creativity and openness of contemporary science.In this blog we too take same path to decode mindfulness but in more fun way.

Mindfulness is a requirement for well being.It is understood differently by different people and so have different reasons for motivation to perceive it and preconceptions to reject it. As a gospel truth mindfulness can be achieved in various means  and preconceptions are just myth.
Researchers are grouped reasons for motivations of mindfulness interventions into following :

• Reduce negative experiences( 95%)
• Enhance Well being (30%)
• Someone told me to do it (30%)
• Spiritual or religious goals (6%)

The popular impression of mindfulness are The Scientist, The Monk, The Warrior, The Zombie and The Hippie. Lets decode the characteristics:-

 Motivation: Scientist is contemporary image of mindfulness as a scientific technique or technology that is deployed in secular context and often for therapeutic purposes. 
Interpretation: The scientist represents the modern tendency to be operational and instrumental mindfulness, either as a neurophysiological phenomenon or as a psychotherapeutic protocol. The scientist is fundamentally interested in experimentation that produces an objective evidence base for claims about the efficaciousness of mindfulness in various ways. For the scientist, the meaning of mindfulness emerges from this evidentiary base; there is no originary or 'real' meaning other than what is revealed through experiment and observation.​
Preconceptions: 
Problem of denial: Has no link to the base of spirituality
Problem of Origin: Cultural skepticism, as it is not originated or researched from popular places it is not authentic or unscientific
Problem of rationality: Scientific errors as its related to humans,  fabrications in research.

Motivation:- The Monk expresses our ideal of enlightenment and our emancipation from the confines of every day knowledge and wisdom. T
Interpretation: Monk represents a more spiritual and reverential approach to mindfulness, seeing it as a means of self-cultivation, self-transformation, and practice. The monk is fundamentally interested in the way that the practice of mindfulness seems to transform the practitioner, enabling them to reside in more compassionate space, opening doors to deeper levels of self-reflection and ethical development. At the same time, the monk sees mindfulness as a way to address the general and universal problem of suffering in the world. Genuine or real mindfulness is described in ancient texts, and we come to understand the true meaning of those texts only through our subjective practice in the present. 
​Preconceptions:-
Problem of Orientalism: - It is Asian in origin how can it fits western cultures.
Problem of Trappings:  We should sit in way and dress in a way, we may recite to do mantras, it does not go with my beleifs etc
Problem of Secularism: It is associated with religion ideologies etc 

Motivation: This warrior represents the human aspiration where his/her psychic integrity is tested and cultivated in extreme face of danger, violence, and death. In the end, its abandonment of their sense of self and their actions must be in the service of a greater good.
Interpretation:- The warrior represents a vision of mindfulness as a technique to cultivate discipline, awareness, and skill. The warrior is fundamentally interested in the way that the continued practice of mindfulness meditation seems to enhance concentration and focus, and leads to greater mental tranquility, thus enhancing his/her ability to perform intricate skills with calm discipline. At the same time, the ninja represents the hope that advanced cultivation will lead to the development of superhuman skills and abilities. For the warrior, the seeds of genuine or real mindfulness is found in ancient texts, but understanding these seeds requires that a student practice for themselves under the guidance of an accomplished teacher. ​
​Preconceptions:
Problem of discipline: Practice for long periods and to carry it on to perfection even if its hurting.
Problem of Fighting :-It involves the cultivation of esoteric powers.
Problem of fear: It is concerned with the death of the self. 

Motivation:- The Zombie is about learning to dissemble and eradicate our ego, our personality and ultimately our sense of self itself. It involves abandoning rationality and instrumental reason and critical judgment. 
Interpretation:- The zombie represents the fear that mindfulness is really a way to tranquilize people into docility and acceptance. That is, the zombie unifies mindfulness with mindlessness. Unlike the monk and the ninja, who see mindfulness as a way to enhance positive aspects of life and reduce suffering, the zombie embodies the idea that mindfulness actually prevents people from taking control of their lives and acting positively in the world. Instead of acting, the zombie just accepts things as they are. Instead of doing something, the zombie just is. The mindfulness zombie is the nightmare of a 'zero-level' of human existence. We merely respond instinctively to whatever happens around us. Reducing ourselves to a kind of zero level of consciousness as the treatment or eradication of stress.
Preconceptions:
Problem of the self: - It is considering as retardation or death
Problem of irrationality: - stepping outside goal-oriented and discrepancy-based thinking collapse of thinking
Problem of humanity: - On being without stress means that we're no longer fully human.

Motivation:- A counter-cultural radical embodying political protest against the rampant materialism and ambition of capitalist society through practices of self-transformation. 
Interpretation:-She represent having dropped out of human society by giving up one instrumental reason and conventional conceptions of self-hood. So the hippie is a model of coping with modernity and of failing to cope with it all at once. The hippie is both the dream for some and the nightmare for others. When it comes to mindfulness then, the model of the hippie expresses all kinds of often conflicting preconceptions about the psychological and social significance of the practices involved.
Preconceptions:
Problem of conflicts: Conflicting about the psychological and social significance of the practices involved.

It’s been said over and over many times – happy employees create a highly productive company culture. But as straightforward as it may seem, why do a lot of organizations still get trapped in the same pitfalls that have been around for ages?
Employee engagement is one of the most difficult conundrums facing businesses that want to grow. In a time of economic downturn, businesses are pressured to increase productivity to avoid further costs, interruptions, or losses, leaving out employee satisfaction in the process. It’s highly tempting for employers to just focus on extreme productivity and disregard the fact that employees also need to be happy in their roles.
When it comes to real-life business practice, a lot of companies still end up applying traditional relationship of authority which leaves employees disengaged and dissatisfied with their work. In fact, Gallup’s most recent data shows that only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work. Creating a climate of trust between an employee and an employer is hard. And the so-called “engagement programs” that are meant to keep employees committed and productive are doing more harm than good. They often tend to be greedy strategies to get more work done with fewer resources.

We all know that France has a reputation of having lazy employees. However, contrary to popular belief, its workforce is not as unproductive as they seem. And this is because of one simple yet powerful mindset they possess – embracing the concept of happiness at work. They started by figuring out what their workforce really needed, from mandating shorter working hours to creating labor policies that value their personal and social lives. Most French retails groups have now taken the politic of happiness at work tempting the public sector to do the same.

A great number of large, medium, and small private and public institutions are starting to embrace the concept of happiness. But what exactly does happiness at work mean? Happiness at work may mean differently to different people. It could be a job where people can fulfill their personal interests – a job that allows them to get closer to what they really like and love. It could also mean that an employee’s strengths and efforts are widely recognized. Or it could mean providing employees regular feedbacks and thanking them for their genuine care and attention towards the business. Happiness at work could also mean ending a hierarchical employment system and putting the focus on collaborations and partnership opportunities instead. Oftentimes, it’s not so much of the salary, though it can also factor in on the happiness level of employees.  More often than not, the factors are interrelated. Bottom line is, happiness at work is achieved when we feel good about ourselves in the work we do, it’s when we are able to give valuable contributions and get appreciated in return. It’s the feeling of belongingness, of enjoying our social relationships.

Is the concept of happiness at work new? No, it’s not. It’s just an old family business culture applied to corporations. Think about it. In the traditional family business, all participants get the work done regardless of hierarchy, department, and silos. Everyone helps each other to make the whole thing work. That’s the kind of mentality corporations are looking for while engaging into the concept of happiness at work. It sounds simple but it’s hard to execute when people have been used to hierarchical procedures. Fortunately, workplace happiness and satisfaction collectives and workshops abound. Today’s organizations are lucky to have resources at their fingertips. SYPartners, Ahead and KYU to name a few helps organizations and individuals transform themselves and their respective organizations using business leadership strategies that encourage collaborations. These agencies focus on changing traditional work cultures and promoting effective partnerships through different networks. Aside from discovering new things about yourself and others, you’re given a chance to widen your connections that could prove to be beneficial in the near future.

Like any other ideas, embracing the concept of happiness also has a risky side. Once you’ve fully embraced this concept, you cannot come back to old practices anymore. Once you have given your employees the freedom to manage their time and responsibilities according to what they believe is the best for the business, you won’t be able to take back the freedom you’ve given them.
Freedom can come with a price that’s why as a leader or an employer, you have to make sure you still maintain a certain degree of authority and professionalism. In the end, it’s all about the equilibrium of every aspect of human life and work life.

Images shape who we are and how we see and understand the world we live in. Images are so powerful that they leave a lasting impact and sometimes even change our perception of people, places, events, and things. Wherever we go, whatever we do, images have practically become a part of our everyday life. In schools, websites, and advertisements for instance, visual feasts make it easier for us to comprehend things, they excite us, and draw our attention, thus creating a better memory recall and a better way of sending messages across multiple channels.  
In meetings, workshops, conferences, and seminars, we have what we call graphic facilitation and graphic recording. These methods make use of large-scale imagery to facilitate and record group activities. For many projects, aligning stakeholders on the current state of work and what they are going to do can be quite challenging. This is where graphic facilitation and graphic recording come in and play profound roles.

The Grove patriarch David Sibbet pioneered the graphic facilitation method to help people see their thoughts individually and collectively, and make decisions and communicate effectively. Graphic facilitation allows groups to brainstorm, analyze, discuss, and create solutions that truly work. We use graphic facilitation to help stakeholders capture information about their current state, understand the challenges they face, and bridge communication gaps that might exist.
Information overload can become a communication impediment and what graphic facilitation does is it creates shared meaning, allowing groups to share the same understandings of a problem and find quicker solutions. In terms of diversity, it’s also a great tool in building ideas from different points of view. Graphic facilitation also ensures that everyone is on the same page. Experience-wise, graphic facilitation has resulted to increased clarity and understanding of key themes, improved team performance, and better conflict resolution.

Graphic recording, on the other hand, involves recording people’s expressions and ideas. Graphic recorders or artists translate conversations and simplify them into drawn images and texts. Graphic recording creates messages that have better retention rates, and just like graphic facilitation, it boosts collaboration and ensures that everyone contributes. No one is left behind. It’s a great tool that can enhance our skills in decision-making, team building, and strategic planning.

Traditionally, we use markers and white paper to facilitate a workshop, but recent technological advancements have given rise to faster and more efficient tools like IPEVO’s wireless interactive whiteboard system. It’s a user-friendly and versatile interactive whiteboard that has unlimited colors. You can instantly save information on a cloud system. And unlike traditional graphic recording and graphic facilitation tools, this whiteboard system allows you to store meeting history data. If you make a mistake, it’s easy to track and modify it. The system is paired with video projector and supports up to four users who can work together on the same whiteboard.
Of course we know that the traditional paper method is here to stay. However, we are quite confident that wireless interactive whiteboard systems would become extensively popular in the next years to come, making graphic facilitation a central place for business decision making.
We’ve come to a time when more and more people are greatly becoming dependent on visual information and experience. In today’s digital age, capitalizing on the various audio-visual communication tools can allow businesses and organizations to better manage their staff and daily operations. Images don’t only have the power to persuade us and change our beliefs. More importantly, images have the power to deeply connect us with others and reframe the world into a more sustainable one.

Unprecedented economic changes are making significant impacts in economic systems that have led to revision, and creation of new policies and business models. The advent of the industrial economy for instance, has caused both turbulence and growth to businesses which paved the way for experts to develop, improve, and create sustainable business models and principles that we are actually using and adopting today.

The industrial economy can be categorized into three types – linear, circular, and performance economy. Linear economy is characterized by a straight and close-ended procedure. We extract raw materials from nature, turn these materials into products, sell them, use them, and then eventually throw them away in landfills. This process has led to tremendous environmental problems that have also created concerns on the availability of raw materials and their increasing costs. This became a precursor to the circular economy – the antithesis to the wasteful and environmentally threatening linear economy. Unlike in a linear economy, products and services in a circular economy are designed in ways where materials can be reused in new products or services of equal or higher quality. Going a step further from the circular economy is performance economy which focuses on selling the use of a product instead of selling the product itself.

We’re all likely familiar with the idea of selling a good. However, are we familiar with the idea of selling the use of a good? Performance economy consists of the idea that instead of selling the goods, we sell the usage value of the goods. It focuses on the goal of generating the highest added value possible of goods for the longest time while consuming few materials and little energy as possible. Swiss architect Walter Stahel, the genius behind this notion, came up with this idea as part of his circular economy strategy. The performance economy is basically an extension of his circular economy vision which is about preventing wastage and creating jobs through reusing and extending the service-life of goods.

Walter Stahel and Genevieve Reday were the brains behind what we now know as economy in loops or circular economy. They created an economic vision that focused on competitiveness, waste prevention, resource saving, employment generation, and economic competitiveness. Industrialized countries were among the first to adopt a circular economy model since it was because of the negative impacts of industrialization that circular economy came to be. In 2014, the executive body of the European Union adopted a zero-waste program that became the legal framework for a circular economy in EU-member countries. Countries in the EU are slowly adopting a circular economy and creating circular economy legislations that projects a savings of around 600-billion Euros. EU members Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden are leading in terms of crafting and applying strategies and laws on reusing and recycling wastes. Non-EU member Scotland and Asian economic giant Japan are also among the leading countries that are adopting circular and performance economy practices.
Companies like GE, Elite, 3M, Michelin, Target and Dow are integrating circular and performance economy policies and strategies to address environmental and economic challenges. For instance, Michelin is offering mobile tyre regrooving and replacement services and retreading worn tyres for reuse. Furthermore, when you see a product or service being advertised nowadays, you’ll notice the emphasis on what you’ll get when you get such item or service. Consumers have become more conscious about the products they buy or services they avail hence, the focus is now more on the value you get rather than on the product you just bought.

Apart from waste and resource management efficiency, the performance economy also envisions providing sustainable and efficient job opportunities. Employment has been greatly affected by the shift in economic policy and the shift has seen improvements in terms of providing job opportunities for more people. Today’s dominant economic paradigm deviates from the take-make-use-dispose feature of the linear economy that once ruled the industrial era. The shift from a linear economy to a circular one enabled the transformation of consumer behavior and production chains – ensuring that resources are enough for all and for future generations. Activities under circular and performance economies are projected to create jobs and reduce unemployment by a significant number. In fact, a joint study by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Green Alliance reported that improvements in resource efficiency can help improve Britain’s employment situation. The findings also state that by 2030, Britain could require over half a million jobs and reduce unemployment by over 100,000. That’s if Britain is consistent with its circular and performance economy development plans and activities.
World economies have come a long way. The challenges brought about by industrialization has led to countless possibilities and opportunities, including sustainable outcomes. Performance economy has led organizations into thinking smart – by economically profiting while at the same time contributing to sustainable development. Organizations and companies get a big financial benefit by reusing, remarketing, remanufacturing, repairing goods and materials. Consumers on the other hand benefit from reduced costs of goods and services. Both ends also positively impact the ecological systems that’s why in a sense, it’s a win-win situation.

There is no place for individualists in this day and age of collaborative economy. Today’s business culture is moving from an “I” to a “We” perspective which speaks so much of the desire to include everyone in the process of a creative economy. It’s a concept that links social responsibility, corporate performance, and business excellence altogether. It’s an idea that values teamwork over self-interest as the driver of business models and economic systems.

Just how powerful is our choice of words in the way we deal with others and build personal and business relationships? Well, it’s powerful enough to make or break our success. Our choice of words is powerful enough to change views, opinions, actions, and situations. Take the power of “we” for example. Choosing “we” over “I” can prove to be one of the most crucial factors in creating a positive, creative, and productive workforce. In fact, there’s even a study suggesting that people who use pronouns such as “I,” “my,” and “me” tend to have an inward focus of their thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Meanwhile, those who used “we,” “us,” and “you” showed an outward focus and considered the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors of others. Furthermore, the study revealed that people with lower status were more inclined to use the pronoun “I” compared to individuals with higher status who tended to use the pronoun “we”. The “I” perspective not only promotes selfishness, but it also lowers the morale of individuals, and disregards the efforts of others. The “we” perspective, on the other hand, creates a harmonious relationship among individuals and avoids unhealthy competitions brought about by self-centeredness. Admit it or not, partnerships, trust, and collaborations are as crucial or even more crucial factors than salaries and perks in any organizational setup. A lot of individuals, no matter how high-paying their jobs are, quit when work becomes too individualistic and competitions abound. This also speaks true for some people who, despite having a lower-paying job than their high-paying counterparts, remain committed to their work because they are engaged and their efforts are being acknowledged. Now, what does this study say about leadership? Or what does this even have to do with leadership?  

Would you rather be a leader of a boss? If you think you’re the type of person who tends to use or apply the “I,” “me,” or “my” concept a lot, then you’re likely to be identified as a boss. On the other hand, if you’re the type of person who always considers others in your decisions or actions, then you’re likely to be called a leader. A leader empowers and serves others while a boss wants power and demands to be followed. A boss instructs while a leader mentors others hands-on. A leader inspires while a boss uses fear or authority for people to comply. Why do these things matter? Truth is, the more that we engage others in our endeavors, the more that we become effective and productive. By being a leader and bringing out the best in others instead of focusing only on your own goals and growth, everyone is given the opportunity to rise, grow, succeed, and discover their potentials that would not have been possible if teamwork did not exist.

Just imagine how fulfilling it is to be able to contribute to your organization, more so on a greater scale. So, how do we create a “we” culture? As the leader, how do you shift from an “I” to a “we” perspective if you’re the “I-centric” type? As a team member, how do you embrace collaboration if ever you’re not used to it?
Today, more and more individuals and teams are shifting their work paradigms from an individual-focused culture to a team-oriented one. The Power of We Consortium (PWC), for instance, is providing the residents of Michigan’s Ingham County a model for organizing and leveraging resources using the power of communication, collaboration, and accountability. The PWC believes in the interrelatedness of issues facing communities and thus, collaboration and engaging all community resources are the only means of solving the challenges effectively. Isn’t it amazing how the power of “we” can create a self-sustainable community? But what’s more remarkable is the fact that we’re able to discover a lot of hidden skills and talents, and maximize the resources we have.
Alternative business schools are also changing the academic landscape by molding learners to be more socially, economically, and environmentally responsible individuals. Take Knowmads for example. More than teaching about the technical aspects of businesses and economies, they encourage individuals to think beyond themselves. They ask questions that make students think deeply and conscientiously. Questions that let these learners create projects or models that impact positive changes to societies. Again, we can see how the “we” perspective, the others-centered mindset can make a huge difference in the world.
In gist, what these two organizations are telling us is that we can cultivate a “we” culture by learning about others – what their strengths and weaknesses are, what they are passionate about, what they can contribute to the group – and integrating the things we’ve learned from others with the things we know about ourselves. Cultivating a “we” culture starts when we stop thinking about ourselves.

We’ve come to a time where people are getting smarter and more outspoken about their working conditions. A lot of people are discovering that they can make the most out of everything because of technology. The power of mobility is not only giving them the freedom to balance their work and life but more importantly, it’s creating an avenue for collaboration and innovation outside their fields of expertise. This idea has given birth to co-working – a concept that embraces diverse collaboration among social and creative individuals who want to be in control of their work space and make an impact to the society.
Co-working spaces are reinventing the future of our economy. Across the globe, we can see the emergence of these collaborative working environments that focus on business or social entrepreneurship. As today’s industries require more cross-functional skills, co-working labs might just be the central hearth of productive workspace serving businesses and societies.

Co-working spaces are actually by nature cross-disciplinary and rarely focus on one single business vertical. Believe it or not, some of today’s biotech breakthroughs were made possible through collaborations of biologists with designers and choreographers. Unimaginable? Yes. Unconventional? Absolutely. It sounds weird from many angles and definitely disruptive especially for those who have kept a definitive boundary in their disciplines, but this growing trend might actually just become the norm in the next coming years. In fact, a study by software company Intuit revealed that by 2020, over 40% of the workforce, at least in America, will be freelancers and independent workers. The study also stated that 90% of the people they surveyed at co-working spaces said they felt more confident when co-working.

The idea of co-working is promising, creating opportunities for sustainable connections and collaborations. The question now is how do we break barriers between knowledge domains and create a collaborative atmosphere among people who have never worked with each other before? It all starts with engaging ourselves in collaborative efforts – by joining a collaborative hub. Knowmads and Impact Hub are just some of the various places that cultivate a culture of openness towards cross-functional disciplines for co-working newbies and experts alike.
These co-working hubs are reinventing the future of businesses by focusing on the human aspects of development. At the end of the day, the human attributes are the only thing that can genuinely connect us all. Knowmads, for instance, uses multiple tools to connect people based on human progress. Imagine a situation where a geo-strategist, a painter, and a nurse can start working together? Work differences and opinions might become hindrances but because co-working spaces offer free-form approaches that let collaborators engage with each other progressively without forcing things, the idea of different professionals working together harmoniously brings new opportunities and innovative solutions that make the world a better place.
Co-working provides a number of benefits that a traditional workspace can never offer. The feeling of being in control of your job, having the freedom to choose the projects you care about, and connecting with others and being a part of a unique circle are just some of the many things that co-working can provide individuals. And if there’s something that traditional businesses and organizations can learn from co-working spaces, it’s that giving people more space and support to be genuinely at their best can yield results that enable effective, sustainable, innovative and more socially responsible solutions to the different challenges we face every day.

Transformation has taken a new definition in this era of constant disruption. It’s no longer just a concept or a theory; transformation has already become a necessity and a reality.
Most of today’s societies – both developed and underdeveloped, face growing global crises and unprecedented changes that have profoundly shaken the core of traditional norms and practices. Disruption is starting to shape industries, markets, and our future. And people and businesses need to continuously grow and adapt to such changes in order to achieve and maintain success. If there’s anything that we can learn from these things, it’s that shifting our perceptions and strategies, and embracing disruption can lead to transformational results that we seek.

For the Presencing Institute’s Otto Scharmer, the global crises and unprecedented changes we currently face can be framed in three major divides namely the ecological divide, the social divide, and the spiritual-cultural divide. The ecological divide speaks of the disconnect between self and nature. The way we treat our environment has long-lasting effects be it on the air we breathe, the water we drink, or the food we eat. The social divide, the disconnect between self and other, speaks of the gap between social classes. Inequality, poverty, and violence continue to plague our societies because opportunities are not equal. The spiritual-cultural divide, which is the disconnect between self and self, is a reflection of the disconnect between our current self and our emerging future self. It speaks of the way we deal with our innermost self, thoughts, and feelings. Burnout, depression, and other mental health issues are manifestations of the spiritual-cultural divide. These three divides represent the massive failures of our institutions – we have created results that nobody really wanted. Thus, we need to change the way we view and face these challenges. We need to change towards a more humane and sustainable world that values every individual.

How then should we shift our outdated economic and business thinking into contemporary practices that consider everyone’s well-being? Scharmer offered quite an interesting and informative article regarding this by introducing eight institutional innovations that as a set can help businesses run more intelligently across silos and boundaries. It seems that shifting our economic logic from an ego-system to eco-system awareness is the key create an economy that considers the well-being of all. From nature, entrepreneurship, money, technology, leadership, consumption, governance, and ownership, reinventing our processes and concepts, and encouraging collaboration in these vital areas can redefine the business environment and change the way individuals treat life and business on a fundamental level.

U.Lab, a hybrid massive open online course (MOOC) platform run by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (M.I.T.), recently offered two social innovation-focused programs – Leading Awareness-based Systems Change and How to Sense and Actualize the Future.  The two programs offered unique insights on collaboration, co-creation, and succeeding in the emergent future. The programs’ introductory film says it all – a business cannot continue to run the way it goes and there’s a need to bring sustainability principles on core values of a business. True enough, what we need in this disruptive age is to create a profound innovation. We need new ways to connect to the more genuine aspects of our self and encourage consciousness in the way we manage things. Perhaps you would also agree that today’s businesses need to integrate personal and ethical values into their system to help make it more sustainable.
Futhermore, the edX-U.Lab course “Transforming Business, Society and Self” that Scharmer hosted is highly recommended. The course presented his Theory U framework and offered excellent and effective community practices that will really make you think deeply about how you can resolve the different divides.
Following U.Lab since its inception, it has brought a great first impression on a personal level. The courses offered new and authentic insights – leaving old business principles and gearing towards a fresh and spontaneous approach that really fuel growth and competitiveness. It’s actually quite idealistic but this approach will surely revolutionize today’s markets. These programs strengthen our individual capacities and the capabilities of organizations in responding to disruptive challenges through an innovation ecosystem.
Today’s emerging approaches are life-changing. Often we’re so consumed of the challenges the world brings that we somehow forget the very essence of our human existence. We forget about the people around us and focus so much on the problem instead of creating solutions. Understanding the concept of Theory U will make you realize that today’s challenges can be solved by allowing our current and best future self to listen with each other. It’s as simple as listening to others, listening with your heart and mind wide open, co-evolving, co-creating, and allowing inspiration and common will to emerge.

The future can be both exciting and frightening. Technological advancements, rapid globalization, socio-economic changes, disruptions, and rising competition are making it harder for people, businesses, and organizations to predict what will happen next. Picture yourself as a project manager. You hold responsibility not only for the communication aspect and assurance of a successful project delivery but also for the risk management and monitoring of the project. The most important question to ask is how can you forecast the future with a degree of certainty? How are you going to prepare and plan for things?

The Delphi method has long been used by various sectors and organizations as their “go-to” method in forecasting situations. It’s a method created by nonprofit global policy institution RAND Corporation which is utilized extensively in the USA. The principle of Delphi is quite simple. It supports the integration of the opinions and thoughts of independent experts. It supports consensus decision-making and is based on the intuitions and insights of experts. The Delphi Method is a prospective/foresight method that allows experts to be surveyed in a repetitive way.

A lot of businesses and government offices utilize the Delphi method to stay ahead of the curve. Bell Canada, inarguably Canada’s largest telecom company, was one of the first businesses to apply the Delphi techniques in their studies. Bell Canada used the Delphi method to determine the future of technology and its function in various life aspects. India’s largest heavy electrical equipment firm BHEL also utilized the Delphi technique. The studies yielded positive results and identified the probability of the development of 19 new energy sources. Results derived from the Delphi method can be used by businesses and government institutions for long-range forecasting of the organization’s future. Results can also function as a highly valuable tool to fuel innovation since companies or groups can furnish the information to specialists in their organization.
 
In 1964, an experiment regarding the probability of nuclear war across the globe was conducted. Using the Delphi method, majority of the experts who were asked said that a nuclear war was highly improbable. Five more rounds of workshops were conducted thereafter, asking the experts the same question. After a long debate, all experts agreed and reached to a conclusion that the probability of a nuclear war was imminent. As we can see through the six workshops, the experts progressively aligned their thoughts towards the same conclusion that nuclear war was inevitable.

Back in 1964, the possibility of an international nuclear war was what prospective specialists called a “signal”. A signal is a piece of information, an idea in the air we could bring on the table and analyze as a future possible. The idea of an international nuclear war was a possibility in the mind only of an extreme minority. This signal could have been neglected to the benefits of other signals. But in this case, the signal was utilized as the subject for the experiment, driving the conclusion that prospective is highly political.
Why? When the prospective specialist chooses to analyze a signal and bring it to the table for debate, he takes the risk of seeing this signal becoming a generality for the group of attendees and the general public by contamination. In other words, a simple idea about the future becomes a generally agreed upon concept for the society. The Delphi method illustrates the tendency of human behavior to align their point of view regarding the future possible around a single “correct” answer.

The Delphi method also has its fair share of misuses and disadvantages. The misuse of the results from the Delphi method can have damaging effects to a company. Information leakage can happen because there’s a tendency for some public relations officers to immediately release the results of the study, believing that the information they have are necessary to their company’s present situation. Some organizations also treat the results as the backbone of a company policy when in fact it’s supposed to simply aid a company in their forecasting or problem-solving process. Some detractors of the Delphi method say that the Delphi technique is more about building consensus rather than visioning. Consensus leads people to believe that their inputs have been taken into consideration but that they need to support a decision that is in the best interest of the whole. Visioning, on the other hand, involves envisioning a picture of a project’s success in the future. Stakeholders develop a shared vision of the future. Indeed the Delphi method is a means to achieve consensus among experts, but it does not disregard the ideas and visions of stakeholders as well. And this is evident in the studies conducted by BHEL where they developed an open-ended questionnaire to gather as much data as possible on possible breakthroughs that can be developed in the future.

In the recent time, politics from around the globe built consensus around concepts like the shared economy, crowd sourcing, global warning, women empowerment, and trans-humanism. Are these concepts vision-derived or consensus-derived serving the interest of political and economic leaders?
When we see the outcome of prospective exercises, we must learn how to ask questions. Is this future desirable? For whom is it desirable? Who would benefit from it? Is there another future possible? Are we speaking about vision or consensus? Do we really want to give people the choice to decide about the future?
Whether we personally consider the Delphi method a bane or a boon, what holds true for this method is that it will remain a viable technique for a long time in long-range forecasting.

Exclusivity is out. Collaboration is in. Working together is the new way of doing business which brings us to the concept of sharing economy. What does sharing economy mean? As kids, we were taught early on that sharing is an essential part of being. The definition of sharing that we knew back when we were starting to learn about numbers and ABCs is no different to the idea of sharing when referring to the sharing economy.
Uber, Airbnb, Grab, ebay, Fon, HomeAway, and Elance – do any of these companies ring a bell? These are just some of the growing number of sharing-focused businesses that are shaping today’s industries and economies. Companies built on collaborative ecosystem and sharing management culture are transforming businesses and the way people deal with daily life and work situations.

Admit it or not, social media has become a part of the daily lives of most people. Unlike traditional communication tools, social media offers a two-way communication stream that allows people to be proactively engaged in discussions and the decision-making process. Social media is a tool aimed at collaboration and sharing. Imagine how easy it is to order food, look for a job, shop, book trips and appointments, join organizations, and even set-up a date right at your fingertips. Years ago, we were stuck with lengthy paper processes, charged with exorbitant fees, and even traveled miles away just to do such things. And today, social media has become a fundamental element of the sharing economy as witnessed in the companies mentioned earlier. The advent of social media has changed people’s perception and attitude towards others. Since then, people have become more willing to open up about their lives to strangers as seen on a lot of vlogs and social media posts. People are more engaged and unafraid to share their opinions and recommendations. Subconsciously, these are behaviors that can very well be attributed to the idea of sharing. What started out as a simple idea of sharing information turned into something even bigger – the sharing of resources.

Why do we need to understand the sharing economy? Why does it matter to us? If we are just mere consumers and not into the business and technical side of the sharing economy, then why should it matter to us? The answer is simple. Life is chemistry. Everything around us affects us. And if we don’t evolve and adapt to changes, we will get left behind and stop growing. We need to understand the basic principles of sharing economy because we are a part of it. Our contributions, no matter how small, make all the difference collectively. A deep understanding of this emerging economy can lead us to better opportunities, allow us to reach new horizons, and provide us foresights that will allow us to make strategic decisions. We can’t just always be on the receiving end all of the time. It would be an irony to benefit from an industry that capitalizes on sharing but could not receive its fair share of time, resources, and efforts from the people it caters to.

What does it take to be a part of this emerging economy? Just like in any other business or venture, we set values and traits that help us succeed in our undertaking. The values and attributes required in a typical business are no different with the values and traits one needs in the sharing industry. Sharing-focused businesses operate on trust, transparency, accountability, cooperation, open-mindedness, and the willingness to adapt to changes, innovate, and constantly feed your mind with knowledge. Apart from these values, it’s also necessary to come up with a strategic plan for your planned shift to a sharing-centric economy. How will a sharing economy affect your existing business model? Are you well-prepared for disruptions and the transition? Have you thought about the mindset of your market? You need to consider these questions on your planned economic shift. And you need to integrate all the values mentioned earlier in answering and creating solutions for such questions.

The sharing economy is empowering entrepreneurs and reshaping how they do business. Entrepreneurship is evolving because of peer-to-peer marketplaces. Pooling together, sharing resources, and reducing overconsumption or unnecessary purchase of things are redefining the concept of community-building in the perspective of a sharing economy. What sets the sharing economy apart from the traditional economy is its ability to provide business opportunities for all. In a traditional set-up, only those who have enough capital to build or buy apartments or condo units can actually sell or rent out these places. Imagine having an unused room in your apartment that’s just building up dusts and cobwebs. Thanks to the sharing economy, you can now have your room easily rented.

This leads us to the question on whether this kind of economy is sustainable or not. Yes and no. Like all things, the sharing economy has its own pros and cons. When it comes to sustainability, it will depend on how we treat and view it today and in the future. It could be sustainable because it creates jobs for people and reduce the unemployment rate but it’s not sustainable for governments because of loss of tax revenues. Will sharing-centered enterprises last long if the number of similar businesses rises? Will it still be sustainable socially and environmentally speaking? The answer will depend on how a business sees the opportunities in challenges. Again, it all boils down to the values mentioned earlier, especially one’s open-mindedness, and willingness to adapt to changes, innovate, and constantly feed their mind with knowledge. These are what will make the sharing economy successful and sustainable.

Companies and organizations need to give back more than what they take from the environment and the society. For a company to be net positive, it needs to outweigh all the negative impacts on society and the environment with positive impacts. Net positive is a way of transforming businesses by having them innovate their products and services in a way that helps consumers have more sustainable lifestyles and restores the environment.

Nothing in this world is permanent. We live in a time of profound disruptions, rapid changes and unprecedented social, economic, and environmental challenges. These factors have made significant impacts on our lifestyle and the way we view our environment. When a business or an organization fails to positively respond to these changes, adapt and adopt appropriate measures, it usually leads to failure and eventually, closure of business. This is why becoming net positive is important. Net positive aims to encourage organizations and businesses to leave a positive impact to the environment – you put more resources into the environment than you get. Is it achievable? Yes, it is.

Through the 12 principles of a positive net approach, organizations and businesses understand net positive better which in turn help them adopt this new approach more efficiently. Here are the 12 principles of a net positive approach:

A lot of companies are already geared towards a net positive plan. Companies like IKEA, Coca-Cola, Capgemini and Kingfisher are among the key organizations making a positive impact to the society and the environment. These companies go beyond doing less to zero harm to the environment. What they do is they set clear guidelines and common set of principles to increase their sustainable practices while innovation. The net positive principle is a great way to avoid companies from greenwashing since in going net positive, you don’t just simply label your products or services as eco-friendly. In net positive practice, you show proof that you are indeed returning more than what you get from the environment. Coca-Cola, for example, returns and restores the water it uses in its products. They’ve set a concrete goal with a definite timeline in replenishing all the water they use in making beverages.

This goes beyond just merely restoring the water they use. Coca-Cola incorporates social responsibility through launching community water projects all around the world. These projects range from protecting watersheds to improving access to potable water. Meanwhile, IKEA’s net positive strategy focuses on generating renewable energy. Energy-saving initiatives such as installation of wind turbines and solar panels on their stores and distribution hubs have helped IKEA reduce their energy use globally. Their strategy is also encouraging consumers to change their mindset regarding energy consumption.
Gearing towards a net positive impact will not only drive a restorative economy. More importantly, it will create societal and environmental values that drive sustainability and help build community resilience.

We hear it everywhere, we talk about it among our colleagues, family members and circle of friends in business meetings, social media, and advertising platforms. It’s a concept born out of the need to combat the exploitation of natural resources and to meet the needs of today without compromising the capabilities of future generations to meet their own needs.
How can we address the issues of energy, food, climate, chemicals, renewable resources and globalization well within ecological limits? Sustainability is a key in addressing such challenges we face in our daily lives. It’s a concept that everyone can work towards because even the smallest things we do can gravely impact our future and make a difference.

Capitalism, being the dominant economic system, plays a crucial role in the formation of a sustainable society. However, times are changing and what used to work before might not work now. What’s more, many of today’s environmental, social and economic challenges are being blamed on corporations. So, if we want a sustainable future and society, we need economic systems that really work. And creating shared value is the way to go – it’s the way to reinvent capitalism. But just what is shared value? It’s more than just creating economic value. It’s about realigning your business to create values that address the challenges and needs of societies.

What started out as a simple means of helping people in developing countries has now evolved into a multibillion-dollar trade that’s helping address poverty and empowering producers in poor countries – or not! Not that we’re being skeptical of fair trade policies but as socially conscious consumers, we can’t help but ask ourselves if fair trade is really being fair to our farmers in poor countries. Are we sure that our money is really going to good causes? How do we gauge it? Who is making sure that it is really fair and ethically acceptable? Who is ensuring that the rights of farmers are not being violated? Critics of the fair-trade movement are arguing that fair trade doesn’t help the poor rather, it’s more beneficial to traders in rich countries. They argue that joining the fair trade requires specific quality and political standards that are obviously difficult for poor farmers to comply with. Another argument is that little money reaches farmers. It’s difficult to find out if the extra money we pay for the goods is really reaching them. There’s not much evidence proving that farmers receive a good sum of the money. Our purchasing power is crucial in helping producers in developing countries but the more critical factor is our discernment of these fair trade-marked products being sold to us. It’s becoming more of an appeal to our emotions rather than helping consumers have a better grasp of the situation and become more proactive in exercising their purchasing power.

Going green is a growing trend among health-conscious and eco-conscious consumers. It’s seen as a sustainable means and ecologically responsible practice of using natural resources. However, this growing trend has recently come under fire mainly because of the integrity in labelling goods as organic. A lot of organizations spend more time and resources in claiming to be eco-friendly through marketing and advertising than they actually practice. It’s a form of deception that is making everything all the more complicated because we have consumers who really want to positively impact the environment but the more that they “go green,” the more that they unknowingly harm the environment and help these deceptive organizations profit.

How then can we gauge if something is legitimately eco-friendly and not just greenwashing? Understanding how permaculture works is one way. Permaculture originated from the words permanent and agriculture. It is an ingenious agricultural design process that incorporates ethics and social design principles geared towards sustainability and self-sufficiency. As a consumer, understanding how permaculture works is one big step in being self-sufficient and avoiding greenwashing. It’s a way to avoid greenwashing and counter the linear economy perspective. In permaculture, you are guided by three interwoven ethic principles – care for the people, care for the earth and the concept of fair share. Agroforestry, rainwater harvesting, intensive rotational grazing, fruit tree management and natural building are among the common permaculture practices adopted today. Permaculture can be likened to the circular economy where wastage of resources is avoided. It’s a more viable and legitimately eco-friendly practice than simply buying green-labelled products. And what permaculture does on a larger scale is that it contributes to sustainable economic development.
Shared value, capitalism, fair trade, greenwashing, permaculture – all these things relate to sustainability in one way or another. Understanding the core principles behind these concepts and terms is important just as much as it is important to understand what sustainability really is. For without enough knowledge on these concepts, a surface-level understanding of sustainability would not suffice.