Creativity is essentially part of human nature and at the same time a core driver for innovation. It is contagious and has a self-reinforcing effect. The urge to invent, reinvent, improve or rejuvenate technology, products, services, knowledge, world-views or social arrangements is deeply ingrained in the human history. Tuning into creativity means becoming more confident and trusting that there is always a solution to problems, a better way of doing things, and a break-through invention that can improve millions of lives.
Nourishment of sources of creative energy; focus on passion; bringing in new ideas; thinking the impossible; inventiveness; creative solution finding; pursuit of dreams; creation of time and space for individual and collective idea-generation; having fun; being playful; unorthodox ways; informal interaction; openness to new ideas; scheduling individual and collective time-out.
Excellence is an aspiration that is crucially important for sustainability. Delivering mastery and the best possible quality for a product, a piece of art, a service, or a collaboration process is a way of honoring life’s potential. When a creation is not coupled with an aspiration for mastery, it cannot live up to its full potential. A commitment to serve a better future needs us to drive excellence, search for the best possible expertise, and drive continuous improvement.
Striving for excellence; personal and professional mastery; high quality delivery; attention to detail; continuous improvements; expansion of knowledge; acknowledging of diverse expertise; service-orientation; benchmarking; exchanging knowledge and best practices; learning from others; mentoring
Agility is paramount for collaboration journeys. It makes us partners of evolution in the speed and readiness to venture into the unknown, adapt to changes, learn anew and move through crises constructively. It creates new habits and strengthens the capacity to open up to new situations and the willingness to pro-actively change. Cultivating our ability to take risks furthers the agility that collaborative innovation needs. Inquiring into what we do not know or do not understand helps shift into more conducive patterns of interaction.
Openness to change; flexibility; preparedness to venture into the unknown; risk-taking; preparedness to invest; seeing obstacles as opportunities; attitude of discovery and adventure; acting beyond our comfort zone; transcendence of boundaries; humility; learning-oriented crisis management; quick adaptation to new situations; resilience.
Peter is the Executive Director of DiversAct, an international NGO in Europe. The mission of the organization is to put biodiversity and natural resource management high on the public agenda.
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Celine is a water engineer and the chair of the inter-ministerial coordination committee for the implementation of the drinking water policy in an African Country.
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Nadeem is leading a complex strategic sustainability initiative between NGOs, development cooperation, the public sector and the private sector.
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Mike is the CEO of medium-size textile company. When he joined the company, sustainability issues were still seen as belonging to the communication department.
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