Fostering Innovation through Community

From my new Harvard Business Review article, here’s how to create the last of four pillars that innovative organizations need – Innovation Communities: Innovations often happen at intersections, yet many companies lack ways for innovators to connect informally and see where conversations go. This can also make innovation a lonely endeavor. It doesn’t cost much or take a lot of time to provide people with common innovation interests a means to connect and exchange ideas. At the very least, it’ll help keep them motivated. At best, it may trigger new kinds of cross-disciplinary collaborations that open up previously unseen vectors for change. Don’t be Atari, which was abandoned in frustration by an ambitious innovator: Steve Jobs.   What to do instead? Cultivate community. Take the German life sciences company, Bayer. Bayer has created an internal community of 700 innovators around the world who use common resources, join competitions against one another, and nominate local representatives to participate in an annual meeting. These connections then enable discussions about ways to cross-apply methods, business models, and other capabilities that can translate across business units. For instance, the program helped create agricultural finance options that are now offered around the world, stemming in part from an idea that originated in Bayer’s corporate finance and marketing departments in Greece. (How have you built innovation communities? Please share your approaches in the comments!)

In many nonprofits, innovation often mirrors privilege. Who gets to dream up solutions? Whose ideas are embraced as “bold” or “innovative”? Too often, decision-making is concentrated in leadership or external consultants, leaving grassroots, community-driven insights underutilized. This perpetuates inequity and stifles transformative potential within our own organizations. Here’s the truth: Privilege shapes perceptions of innovation: Ideas from leadership or external experts are often prioritized, while community-driven ideas are dismissed as “too risky” or “impractical.” Communities with lived experience are sidelined: Those who deeply understand systemic challenges are excluded from shaping the solutions meant to address them. The result? Nonprofits risk replicating the same inequities they aim to dismantle by ignoring the imaginative potential of those closest to the issues. When imagination is confined to decision-makers in positions of power, we limit our ability to create truly transformative solutions. As nonprofit practitioners, we can start shifting this dynamic by fostering equity within our organizations: * Redistribute decision-making power: Engage community members and frontline staff in brainstorming and strategic discussions. Elevate their voices in decision-making processes. * Value lived experience as expertise: Treat the insights of those who experience systemic challenges as central to innovation, not secondary. * Create space for experimentation: Advocate for internal processes that allow for piloting bold, community-driven ideas, even if they challenge traditional approaches. * Focus on capacity-mobilisation: Invest in staff and community partners through training, mentorship, and resources that empower them to lead imaginative projects. * Rethink impact metrics: Develop evaluation systems that prioritize community-defined success over traditional donor-centric metrics. What practices has your organization used to centre community-driven ideas? Share your insights—I’d love to learn from you! Want to hear more: https://lnkd.in/gXp76ssF

How often do we design with people, instead of for them? It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that creativity is something only designers hold the key to. But when we pause and engage with communities, we realize something powerful: Creativity thrives within the community itself—it just needs the right conditions to flourish. Take, for example, the Collective Action Toolkit (CAT) by Frog. It’s not just a tool; it’s a framework that empowers communities to solve problems by tapping into their collective strength. Through a series of activities—like clarifying goals and imagining new ideas—small groups around the world have used this toolkit to not only share their thoughts but to take decisive action that addresses their concerns. The beauty of this approach is in its adaptability. It’s not a one-size-fits-all model. Each group can mould it to fit their unique needs, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and valued. But collaboration, as we know, isn’t always easy. There’s often discomfort, sometimes even conflict, when differing ideas meet. Yet, as designers, navigating these challenges is where true progress happens. As Otto Scharmer and Peter Senge, leaders in organizational development, have shown, it's in this space of tension that new solutions are born. A recent contribution from @Design Impact offers a set of guiding principles for designers to keep in mind when working with communities. One of these, “Value me for who I am, not who I’m told to be,” resonates deeply. It’s a reminder that behind every design is a real person, with history, emotions, and passions. When we acknowledge that, we move beyond simply gathering feedback—we tap into real leadership within the community. At the end of the day, Social innovation isn’t just about creating a product or service. It’s about co-creating, about building alongside communities rather than handing down solutions. It’s about fostering a space where everyone’s creativity can shine, and where long-term, sustainable change is possible. Have you been part of a design process that values community leadership? What challenges—and opportunities—did you encounter along the way?

“𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴” 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱. But often it causes more harm than good: We hear the word scaling everywhere in the field of social innovation. But: 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴? And: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁? Dominant models of scaling prioritize: • Metrics over meaning • Speed over stewardship • Reach over relationships They are rooted in 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰. And, 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀. Therefore they treat social change like a tech product. That kind of scaling often does harm: • It erases context. • It sidelines local wisdom. • It centers Global North norms. So… What does 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆-𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 look like? We talked to local innovators across five countries, who are re-imagining scaling. Not as replication. But as 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆, 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, and 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 🌀 𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮, scaling honors 𝘉𝘶𝘦𝘯 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘳 — a Mayan worldview of harmony with nature and collective resilience. 🌱 𝗜𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮, innovators lean into 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 — mutual aid and interdependence rooted in cultural values. 💪🏽 𝗜𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗻, scaling flows through 𝘕𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳 — community fellowship, where trust is the true measure of success. 🐝 𝗜𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹, the Meli Bees Network spreads not products, but ancestral knowledge, ecological stewardship, and collective care. 📣 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀, “scaling” doesn’t even translate neatly. Instead innovators use words that hold nuance, such as: 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘺 (sustaining) or 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘺𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘨 (growing). Across all five places: 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗞𝗣𝗜. It’s an 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. One that honors: - Autonomy - Cultural identity - Community wellbeing. This report is a call to: - Amplify locally-led change. - Transform systems of coloniality. - Re-imagine innovation in service of life. Gratitude to the 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆-𝗟𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 (𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗣) for trusting us at Indigenous & Modern to co-create the report. And to the incredible partners who made it real. Special thanks to Joshua Konkankoh & Isabel Gennaro from the I&M team. 📖 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 👉 https://lnkd.in/e-cCMxZ8 ✅ 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? -> Connect with me, re-share with your network & join my newsletter

The Myth of Genius. We often romanticize the idea of the brilliant but complex visionary. It's a familiar narrative where arrogance or disruptive behavior is seen as a necessary byproduct of genius. Helen Lewis, in The Genius Myth, argues that this narrative is not just misleading, it’s dangerous. True innovation does not stem from a single, mythic individual. It is born from collaboration, systems, and teams or communities working in unison. A clear example of this is the development of the InteliSwab rapid antigen test during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lone wolf genius didn't drive its creation. Instead, it was the result of a disciplined and deeply committed team of scientists, engineers, manufacturing experts, regulators, and business leaders. In my book, A Test for Our Time, I noted that when FDA approval was granted, the achievement belonged to everyone. It was the culmination of countless hours, ideas, and sacrifices from a team united by a common purpose. No single person could claim the breakthrough. My role as CEO was not to be the genius in the room or to tolerate destructive behavior in the name of brilliance. It was to maintain the vision, remove obstacles, and cultivate an environment where insights could emerge from anyone. Some of the most critical solutions came from the quietest members of the team. The truth is that genius is not found in arrogance or isolation. It is discovered in communities where individuals elevate one another through mutual respect and shared goals. The success of InteliSwab was a collective achievement. It serves as a powerful reminder that leadership is most effective not when it excuses eccentricity, but when it fosters respect, humility, and collaboration. This leads to a crucial question for all leaders: How do you define “genius” within your organization? Are you focused on elevating select individuals, or are you building a community where everyone’s best ideas can thrive? #ATestForOurTime #CrisisLeadership #NextNormal #MythOfGenius #Innovation #Collaboration Read more in my book: https://lnkd.in/erME_cyK

Communities are the secret sauce of your innovation and transformation efforts. But first, what are some tried-and-tested methods and tools to enable innovation? The good folks at States of Change and Nesta compiled lots of innovation methods and approaches into one overview structured into four spaces: 🧠 Intelligence Space—Helps you make sense of and conceptualise reality 🧪 Solution Space—Helps you test and develop solutions 🤖 Technology Space—Helps you enable action and change through tech 👯 Talent Space—Helps you mobilise talent to make change happen The tendency is to focus on methods, frameworks, and tech first. But here's the catch: Great tools, teach, and frameworks (think Design Thinking, Innovation Sprints, AR/ VR) are empty boxes without skilled, engaged, and empowered people to use them. 🫣 When you mobilise your internal talent through communities, learning networks, co-creation, action learning, and adaptive leadership, you unlock the full potential of the solution space. Why? Because solutions created with communities (rather than for them) are adopted faster and are more likely to withstand the test of time. 🔥 👩🔬 If you want to embed innovation into your organization, you must make it a habit, not a one-time event. Communities create safer spaces for sharing ideas, experimentation, prototyping, and iteration. They allow you to test solutions quickly with buy-in from the people they impact. This ensures that whatever solution you roll out is relevant and anchored in "their daily reality." 🤝 Communities bring accountability, collective ownership, and resilience to innovation. This ensures the diversity of voices involved in the process, which usually leads to new insights. Knowledge is being shared faster across departments, and bottom-up approaches foster engagement and that resourceful "can do" attitude. When you place your bet on people, you’re not just accelerating innovation. You’re also creating a system where results stick. Who in my network is involved in any shape or form with innovation and transformation projects in 2025? 👀

A hacker house in HSR Layout has gone viral on X. Individuals aged 16 to 26 from across India are living under one roof and working on startup ideas for a month as part of an all-expenses-paid programme. Two high schoolers at LocalHost are hosting them, using funds raised from investors. The setup couldn’t be simpler: travel sorted, food taken care of, gear supplied. All you need to bring is your bag and your ambition. One kid is making robotics less intimidating for children. Another built an AI payment system that eliminates clunky redirections. A 16-year-old from Chennai has automated code-to-hardware integration. When someone tests a new build, the entire house crowds around the screen. Wins are celebrated with pizza. Failures are dissected together until they turn into breakthroughs. This is innovation in its rawest form: brilliant minds, a shared mission, and the freedom to create. Right now, the most exciting startup accelerator in Bangalore isn’t run by corporates or VCs. It’s run by teenagers who’ve highlighted what adults often forget: 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. Maybe we’ve been overcomplicating how real breakthroughs happen. 👇🏽Question for you: Does innovation thrive more on resources, or on the right people coming together? #startup #entrepreneur #VC #funding

AI Success Isn’t Just About Technology, It’s About Community 🤝 If you want AI to scale across your organization, you need more than tools and training. Here's how to create a thriving community 👇 1️⃣ Launch a Community of Practice Start with hackathons, ideation sessions, and shared documentation. Highlight best practices and success stories. Build learning paths that meet people where they are. 2️⃣ Engage the Community Bring in leaders, sponsors, and developers. Make it easy for beginners to join and for experts to lead. The more inclusive the community, the more momentum you build. 3️⃣ Scale and Grow Empower champions. Host events. Keep the energy going. A strong community doesn’t just support AI—it accelerates it. 💡 The goal? Foster a culture where everyone can contribute to AI innovation, not just a few. #AI #GenAI #Copilot #AICommunity #AIenablement #Hackathons #LearningCulture #Artificialintelligence 🔍 Want to go deeper on AI, agents, and Copilot? Follow me on LinkedIn: aka.ms/Jack 📺 Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/g2BAa5Bc