INNOVATION
How Nature Transforms
How Nature Transforms
How Nature Transforms
A new way to think about innovation, strategy, and growth in a world that doesn’t move in straight lines
A new way to think about innovation, strategy, and growth in a world that doesn’t move in straight lines
Download the article
The Nature of Transformation
The Nature of Transformation
If you’ve ever led a transformation…Launched something truly new….Tried to shift a system from the inside out…Then you know the truth: One moment, you’re clear and grounded. The next, it all shapeshifts again. It’s thrilling. It’s humbling. And it's exhausting. But after coaching founders, execs, and innovation teams across Fortune 100s, startups, and deeply entrenched systems…Here’s what I’ve come to understand:
The hardest part isn’t the work itself. The hardest part is the way we ✨ think ✨ about the work.
We’re using linear tools to navigate a living process. We expect transformation to behave like a project plan: Set the goal -> Build the thing -> Hit the milestone -> Deliver the outcome. But that’s how you improve something that already exists. That’s not how you become something new.
If you’ve ever led a transformation…Launched something truly new….Tried to shift a system from the inside out…Then you know the truth: One moment, you’re clear and grounded. The next, it all shapeshifts again. It’s thrilling. It’s humbling. And it's exhausting. But after coaching founders, execs, and innovation teams across Fortune 100s, startups, and deeply entrenched systems…Here’s what I’ve come to understand:
The hardest part isn’t the work itself. The hardest part is the way we ✨ think ✨ about the work.
We’re using linear tools to navigate a living process. We expect transformation to behave like a project plan: Set the goal -> Build the thing -> Hit the milestone -> Deliver the outcome. But that’s how you improve something that already exists. That’s not how you become something new.
How We "Fail"
90% of transformations fail.
That’s what the headlines say. But what if that’s not true? What if we’re just measuring the wrong thing? What if we're misunderstanding the rhythm of real change? Most of those so-called failures didn’t fail at all.
They:
Introduced real change
Surfaced hidden resistance
Revealed what the system was actually capable of
Showed us what was ready to evolve — and what wasn’t
But instead of getting curious about what was revealed, we judged the outcome. Instead of asking “What did this show us?”, we asked “Why didn’t it work?”. As if we should’ve known better. But how could you have known better if this was the first time this system had ever been asked to change like this?
That transformation didn’t fail. It completed its first cycle. It showed you the truth. And instead of listening… we punished it for not meeting our expectations. That is the failure — not the process itself, but the way we related to it.
In the corporate world, we often mistake slowness or ambiguity for failure. When in truth… The system is simply responding to change. And the way you respond to that response is what determines whether you evolve… or retreat.
90% of transformations fail.
That’s what the headlines say. But what if that’s not true? What if we’re just measuring the wrong thing? What if we're misunderstanding the rhythm of real change? Most of those so-called failures didn’t fail at all.
They:
Introduced real change
Surfaced hidden resistance
Revealed what the system was actually capable of
Showed us what was ready to evolve — and what wasn’t
But instead of getting curious about what was revealed, we judged the outcome. Instead of asking “What did this show us?”, we asked “Why didn’t it work?”. As if we should’ve known better. But how could you have known better if this was the first time this system had ever been asked to change like this?
That transformation didn’t fail. It completed its first cycle. It showed you the truth. And instead of listening… we punished it for not meeting our expectations. That is the failure — not the process itself, but the way we related to it.
In the corporate world, we often mistake slowness or ambiguity for failure. When in truth… The system is simply responding to change. And the way you respond to that response is what determines whether you evolve… or retreat.
How Nature Works
Consider that every natural, living system around us is consistently transforming and evolving, whether we notice it or not.
Nature is the master innovator. She is the original transformer. The most intelligent, sustainable, and regenerative system we’ve ever known. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t waste. She doesn’t force. And still… she always evolves.
So how does she do it? Does she create a roadmap with a set of deliverables? A project plan? A Gantt chart? No. Nature doesn't follow a linear process. Every transformative system on this planet (and the universe) moves in cycles.
Transformation is cyclical, and so is innovation.
Consider that every natural, living system around us is consistently transforming and evolving, whether we notice it or not.
Nature is the master innovator. She is the original transformer. The most intelligent, sustainable, and regenerative system we’ve ever known. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t waste. She doesn’t force. And still… she always evolves.
So how does she do it? Does she create a roadmap with a set of deliverables? A project plan? A Gantt chart? No. Nature doesn't follow a linear process. Every transformative system on this planet (and the universe) moves in cycles.
Transformation is cyclical, and so is innovation.
Let's look at a few examples to bring this to life:
1 - WATER: Water becomes vapor, forms clouds, returns as rain, nourishes the earth — and rises again.
2 - BUTTERFLIES: The caterpillar becomes goo before it becomes a butterfly.
3 - BABIES: Babies grow in a cycle with four trimesters (sound familiar?)
4 - WORLD ORDER: Even empires rise, collapse, and rebuild in four stages — again and again.
Innovation mirrors the natural cycle of transformation.
The cycles above aren't failures. They’re transformations. So why do we expect innovation to behave like a Gantt chart? Why do we treat uncertainty like a red flag — when every other living system needs it to grow.
The truth (that we have all lived through) is that transformation is not a linear process. It is a generative, living cycle that is filled with ambiguity, discovery, tension, and transformation.
1 - WATER: Water becomes vapor, forms clouds, returns as rain, nourishes the earth — and rises again.
2 - BUTTERFLIES: The caterpillar becomes goo before it becomes a butterfly.
3 - BABIES: Babies grow in a cycle with four trimesters (sound familiar?)
4 - WORLD ORDER: Even empires rise, collapse, and rebuild in four stages — again and again.
Innovation mirrors the natural cycle of transformation.
The cycles above aren't failures. They’re transformations. So why do we expect innovation to behave like a Gantt chart? Why do we treat uncertainty like a red flag — when every other living system needs it to grow.
The truth (that we have all lived through) is that transformation is not a linear process. It is a generative, living cycle that is filled with ambiguity, discovery, tension, and transformation.
A Different Way To Innovate
A Different Way To Innovate
The Generative Innovation Cycle is a staged approach for creating effective, sustainable, and transformative innovations.
We created it to help leaders and teams understand the natural process of transformation so they could orient, position, plan, predict, and generate value across every phase of the transformation.
Similar to other transformation processes, the Generative Innovation Cycle is built on four core pillars: (1) Purpose. (2) Value. (3) Partnership. (4) Outcomes. Each pillar offers a different way to relate to change — one that honors both strategy and emergence, clarity and complexity.
1 - PURPOSE: Instead of rushing to define success 👉 Purpose helps teams align on why they’re doing this in the first place, even when the path is unclear.
2 - VALUE: Instead of measuring only what’s delivered 👉 Value tracks what’s discovered, learned, and revealed — because deeper insights lead to greater results.
3 - PARTNERSHIP: Instead of treating stakeholders like customers 👉 Partnership invites deeper collaboration — prioritizing co-creation and trust over perfection and approval.
4 - OUTCOMES: And instead of chasing fixed KPIs 👉 Outcomes evolve based on what the system is ready for — and what’s truly needed next.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more aware of what’s already unfolding and leading from that place.
The Generative Innovation Cycle is a staged approach for creating effective, sustainable, and transformative innovations.
We created it to help leaders and teams understand the natural process of transformation so they could orient, position, plan, predict, and generate value across every phase of the transformation.
Similar to other transformation processes, the Generative Innovation Cycle is built on four core pillars: (1) Purpose. (2) Value. (3) Partnership. (4) Outcomes. Each pillar offers a different way to relate to change — one that honors both strategy and emergence, clarity and complexity.
1 - PURPOSE: Instead of rushing to define success 👉 Purpose helps teams align on why they’re doing this in the first place, even when the path is unclear.
2 - VALUE: Instead of measuring only what’s delivered 👉 Value tracks what’s discovered, learned, and revealed — because deeper insights lead to greater results.
3 - PARTNERSHIP: Instead of treating stakeholders like customers 👉 Partnership invites deeper collaboration — prioritizing co-creation and trust over perfection and approval.
4 - OUTCOMES: And instead of chasing fixed KPIs 👉 Outcomes evolve based on what the system is ready for — and what’s truly needed next.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more aware of what’s already unfolding and leading from that place.
Stepping Into Flow
If your project is taking longer than expected...If your team feels disoriented...If the outcomes are unclear...
Don’t panic. Don’t force it. And please don’t call it a failure. You’re not falling behind. You’re not broken. You’re in a living cycle — and the process is working. Let it teach you. Let it open you. Let it expand what is possible. It isn’t failure. It is becoming.
If your project is taking longer than expected...If your team feels disoriented...If the outcomes are unclear...
Don’t panic. Don’t force it. And please don’t call it a failure. You’re not falling behind. You’re not broken. You’re in a living cycle — and the process is working. Let it teach you. Let it open you. Let it expand what is possible. It isn’t failure. It is becoming.
MORE INSIGHTS
INNOVATION
How Nature Transforms
How Nature Transforms
How Nature Transforms
A new way to think about innovation, strategy, and growth in a world that doesn’t move in straight lines
A new way to think about innovation, strategy, and growth in a world that doesn’t move in straight lines
Download the article
The Nature of Transformation
The Nature of Transformation
If you’ve ever led a transformation…Launched something truly new….Tried to shift a system from the inside out…Then you know the truth: One moment, you’re clear and grounded. The next, it all shapeshifts again. It’s thrilling. It’s humbling. And it's exhausting. But after coaching founders, execs, and innovation teams across Fortune 100s, startups, and deeply entrenched systems…Here’s what I’ve come to understand:
The hardest part isn’t the work itself. The hardest part is the way we ✨ think ✨ about the work.
We’re using linear tools to navigate a living process. We expect transformation to behave like a project plan: Set the goal -> Build the thing -> Hit the milestone -> Deliver the outcome. But that’s how you improve something that already exists. That’s not how you become something new.
If you’ve ever led a transformation…Launched something truly new….Tried to shift a system from the inside out…Then you know the truth: One moment, you’re clear and grounded. The next, it all shapeshifts again. It’s thrilling. It’s humbling. And it's exhausting. But after coaching founders, execs, and innovation teams across Fortune 100s, startups, and deeply entrenched systems…Here’s what I’ve come to understand:
The hardest part isn’t the work itself. The hardest part is the way we ✨ think ✨ about the work.
We’re using linear tools to navigate a living process. We expect transformation to behave like a project plan: Set the goal -> Build the thing -> Hit the milestone -> Deliver the outcome. But that’s how you improve something that already exists. That’s not how you become something new.
How We "Fail"
90% of transformations fail.
That’s what the headlines say. But what if that’s not true? What if we’re just measuring the wrong thing? What if we're misunderstanding the rhythm of real change? Most of those so-called failures didn’t fail at all.
They:
Introduced real change
Surfaced hidden resistance
Revealed what the system was actually capable of
Showed us what was ready to evolve — and what wasn’t
But instead of getting curious about what was revealed, we judged the outcome. Instead of asking “What did this show us?”, we asked “Why didn’t it work?”. As if we should’ve known better. But how could you have known better if this was the first time this system had ever been asked to change like this?
That transformation didn’t fail. It completed its first cycle. It showed you the truth. And instead of listening… we punished it for not meeting our expectations. That is the failure — not the process itself, but the way we related to it.
In the corporate world, we often mistake slowness or ambiguity for failure. When in truth… The system is simply responding to change. And the way you respond to that response is what determines whether you evolve… or retreat.
90% of transformations fail.
That’s what the headlines say. But what if that’s not true? What if we’re just measuring the wrong thing? What if we're misunderstanding the rhythm of real change? Most of those so-called failures didn’t fail at all.
They:
Introduced real change
Surfaced hidden resistance
Revealed what the system was actually capable of
Showed us what was ready to evolve — and what wasn’t
But instead of getting curious about what was revealed, we judged the outcome. Instead of asking “What did this show us?”, we asked “Why didn’t it work?”. As if we should’ve known better. But how could you have known better if this was the first time this system had ever been asked to change like this?
That transformation didn’t fail. It completed its first cycle. It showed you the truth. And instead of listening… we punished it for not meeting our expectations. That is the failure — not the process itself, but the way we related to it.
In the corporate world, we often mistake slowness or ambiguity for failure. When in truth… The system is simply responding to change. And the way you respond to that response is what determines whether you evolve… or retreat.
How Nature Works
Consider that every natural, living system around us is consistently transforming and evolving, whether we notice it or not.
Nature is the master innovator. She is the original transformer. The most intelligent, sustainable, and regenerative system we’ve ever known. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t waste. She doesn’t force. And still… she always evolves.
So how does she do it? Does she create a roadmap with a set of deliverables? A project plan? A Gantt chart? No. Nature doesn't follow a linear process. Every transformative system on this planet (and the universe) moves in cycles.
Transformation is cyclical, and so is innovation.
Consider that every natural, living system around us is consistently transforming and evolving, whether we notice it or not.
Nature is the master innovator. She is the original transformer. The most intelligent, sustainable, and regenerative system we’ve ever known. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t waste. She doesn’t force. And still… she always evolves.
So how does she do it? Does she create a roadmap with a set of deliverables? A project plan? A Gantt chart? No. Nature doesn't follow a linear process. Every transformative system on this planet (and the universe) moves in cycles.
Transformation is cyclical, and so is innovation.
Let's look at a few examples to bring this to life:
1 - WATER: Water becomes vapor, forms clouds, returns as rain, nourishes the earth — and rises again.
2 - BUTTERFLIES: The caterpillar becomes goo before it becomes a butterfly.
3 - BABIES: Babies grow in a cycle with four trimesters (sound familiar?)
4 - WORLD ORDER: Even empires rise, collapse, and rebuild in four stages — again and again.
Innovation mirrors the natural cycle of transformation.
The cycles above aren't failures. They’re transformations. So why do we expect innovation to behave like a Gantt chart? Why do we treat uncertainty like a red flag — when every other living system needs it to grow.
The truth (that we have all lived through) is that transformation is not a linear process. It is a generative, living cycle that is filled with ambiguity, discovery, tension, and transformation.
1 - WATER: Water becomes vapor, forms clouds, returns as rain, nourishes the earth — and rises again.
2 - BUTTERFLIES: The caterpillar becomes goo before it becomes a butterfly.
3 - BABIES: Babies grow in a cycle with four trimesters (sound familiar?)
4 - WORLD ORDER: Even empires rise, collapse, and rebuild in four stages — again and again.
Innovation mirrors the natural cycle of transformation.
The cycles above aren't failures. They’re transformations. So why do we expect innovation to behave like a Gantt chart? Why do we treat uncertainty like a red flag — when every other living system needs it to grow.
The truth (that we have all lived through) is that transformation is not a linear process. It is a generative, living cycle that is filled with ambiguity, discovery, tension, and transformation.
A Different Way To Innovate
A Different Way To Innovate
The Generative Innovation Cycle is a staged approach for creating effective, sustainable, and transformative innovations.
We created it to help leaders and teams understand the natural process of transformation so they could orient, position, plan, predict, and generate value across every phase of the transformation.
Similar to other transformation processes, the Generative Innovation Cycle is built on four core pillars: (1) Purpose. (2) Value. (3) Partnership. (4) Outcomes. Each pillar offers a different way to relate to change — one that honors both strategy and emergence, clarity and complexity.
1 - PURPOSE: Instead of rushing to define success 👉 Purpose helps teams align on why they’re doing this in the first place, even when the path is unclear.
2 - VALUE: Instead of measuring only what’s delivered 👉 Value tracks what’s discovered, learned, and revealed — because deeper insights lead to greater results.
3 - PARTNERSHIP: Instead of treating stakeholders like customers 👉 Partnership invites deeper collaboration — prioritizing co-creation and trust over perfection and approval.
4 - OUTCOMES: And instead of chasing fixed KPIs 👉 Outcomes evolve based on what the system is ready for — and what’s truly needed next.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more aware of what’s already unfolding and leading from that place.
The Generative Innovation Cycle is a staged approach for creating effective, sustainable, and transformative innovations.
We created it to help leaders and teams understand the natural process of transformation so they could orient, position, plan, predict, and generate value across every phase of the transformation.
Similar to other transformation processes, the Generative Innovation Cycle is built on four core pillars: (1) Purpose. (2) Value. (3) Partnership. (4) Outcomes. Each pillar offers a different way to relate to change — one that honors both strategy and emergence, clarity and complexity.
1 - PURPOSE: Instead of rushing to define success 👉 Purpose helps teams align on why they’re doing this in the first place, even when the path is unclear.
2 - VALUE: Instead of measuring only what’s delivered 👉 Value tracks what’s discovered, learned, and revealed — because deeper insights lead to greater results.
3 - PARTNERSHIP: Instead of treating stakeholders like customers 👉 Partnership invites deeper collaboration — prioritizing co-creation and trust over perfection and approval.
4 - OUTCOMES: And instead of chasing fixed KPIs 👉 Outcomes evolve based on what the system is ready for — and what’s truly needed next.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more aware of what’s already unfolding and leading from that place.
Stepping Into Flow
If your project is taking longer than expected...If your team feels disoriented...If the outcomes are unclear...
Don’t panic. Don’t force it. And please don’t call it a failure. You’re not falling behind. You’re not broken. You’re in a living cycle — and the process is working. Let it teach you. Let it open you. Let it expand what is possible. It isn’t failure. It is becoming.
If your project is taking longer than expected...If your team feels disoriented...If the outcomes are unclear...
Don’t panic. Don’t force it. And please don’t call it a failure. You’re not falling behind. You’re not broken. You’re in a living cycle — and the process is working. Let it teach you. Let it open you. Let it expand what is possible. It isn’t failure. It is becoming.
MORE INSIGHTS
INNOVATION
How Nature Transforms
How Nature Transforms
How Nature Transforms
A new way to think about innovation, strategy, and growth in a world that doesn’t move in straight lines
A new way to think about innovation, strategy, and growth in a world that doesn’t move in straight lines
Download the article
The Nature of Transformation
The Nature of Transformation
If you’ve ever led a transformation…Launched something truly new….Tried to shift a system from the inside out…Then you know the truth: One moment, you’re clear and grounded. The next, it all shapeshifts again. It’s thrilling. It’s humbling. And it's exhausting. But after coaching founders, execs, and innovation teams across Fortune 100s, startups, and deeply entrenched systems…Here’s what I’ve come to understand:
The hardest part isn’t the work itself. The hardest part is the way we ✨ think ✨ about the work.
We’re using linear tools to navigate a living process. We expect transformation to behave like a project plan: Set the goal -> Build the thing -> Hit the milestone -> Deliver the outcome. But that’s how you improve something that already exists. That’s not how you become something new.
If you’ve ever led a transformation…Launched something truly new….Tried to shift a system from the inside out…Then you know the truth: One moment, you’re clear and grounded. The next, it all shapeshifts again. It’s thrilling. It’s humbling. And it's exhausting. But after coaching founders, execs, and innovation teams across Fortune 100s, startups, and deeply entrenched systems…Here’s what I’ve come to understand:
The hardest part isn’t the work itself. The hardest part is the way we ✨ think ✨ about the work.
We’re using linear tools to navigate a living process. We expect transformation to behave like a project plan: Set the goal -> Build the thing -> Hit the milestone -> Deliver the outcome. But that’s how you improve something that already exists. That’s not how you become something new.
How We "Fail"
90% of transformations fail.
That’s what the headlines say. But what if that’s not true? What if we’re just measuring the wrong thing? What if we're misunderstanding the rhythm of real change? Most of those so-called failures didn’t fail at all.
They:
Introduced real change
Surfaced hidden resistance
Revealed what the system was actually capable of
Showed us what was ready to evolve — and what wasn’t
But instead of getting curious about what was revealed, we judged the outcome. Instead of asking “What did this show us?”, we asked “Why didn’t it work?”. As if we should’ve known better. But how could you have known better if this was the first time this system had ever been asked to change like this?
That transformation didn’t fail. It completed its first cycle. It showed you the truth. And instead of listening… we punished it for not meeting our expectations. That is the failure — not the process itself, but the way we related to it.
In the corporate world, we often mistake slowness or ambiguity for failure. When in truth… The system is simply responding to change. And the way you respond to that response is what determines whether you evolve… or retreat.
90% of transformations fail.
That’s what the headlines say. But what if that’s not true? What if we’re just measuring the wrong thing? What if we're misunderstanding the rhythm of real change? Most of those so-called failures didn’t fail at all.
They:
Introduced real change
Surfaced hidden resistance
Revealed what the system was actually capable of
Showed us what was ready to evolve — and what wasn’t
But instead of getting curious about what was revealed, we judged the outcome. Instead of asking “What did this show us?”, we asked “Why didn’t it work?”. As if we should’ve known better. But how could you have known better if this was the first time this system had ever been asked to change like this?
That transformation didn’t fail. It completed its first cycle. It showed you the truth. And instead of listening… we punished it for not meeting our expectations. That is the failure — not the process itself, but the way we related to it.
In the corporate world, we often mistake slowness or ambiguity for failure. When in truth… The system is simply responding to change. And the way you respond to that response is what determines whether you evolve… or retreat.
How Nature Works
Consider that every natural, living system around us is consistently transforming and evolving, whether we notice it or not.
Nature is the master innovator. She is the original transformer. The most intelligent, sustainable, and regenerative system we’ve ever known. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t waste. She doesn’t force. And still… she always evolves.
So how does she do it? Does she create a roadmap with a set of deliverables? A project plan? A Gantt chart? No. Nature doesn't follow a linear process. Every transformative system on this planet (and the universe) moves in cycles.
Transformation is cyclical, and so is innovation.
Consider that every natural, living system around us is consistently transforming and evolving, whether we notice it or not.
Nature is the master innovator. She is the original transformer. The most intelligent, sustainable, and regenerative system we’ve ever known. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t waste. She doesn’t force. And still… she always evolves.
So how does she do it? Does she create a roadmap with a set of deliverables? A project plan? A Gantt chart? No. Nature doesn't follow a linear process. Every transformative system on this planet (and the universe) moves in cycles.
Transformation is cyclical, and so is innovation.
Let's look at a few examples to bring this to life:
1 - WATER: Water becomes vapor, forms clouds, returns as rain, nourishes the earth — and rises again.
2 - BUTTERFLIES: The caterpillar becomes goo before it becomes a butterfly.
3 - BABIES: Babies grow in a cycle with four trimesters (sound familiar?)
4 - WORLD ORDER: Even empires rise, collapse, and rebuild in four stages — again and again.
Innovation mirrors the natural cycle of transformation.
The cycles above aren't failures. They’re transformations. So why do we expect innovation to behave like a Gantt chart? Why do we treat uncertainty like a red flag — when every other living system needs it to grow.
The truth (that we have all lived through) is that transformation is not a linear process. It is a generative, living cycle that is filled with ambiguity, discovery, tension, and transformation.
1 - WATER: Water becomes vapor, forms clouds, returns as rain, nourishes the earth — and rises again.
2 - BUTTERFLIES: The caterpillar becomes goo before it becomes a butterfly.
3 - BABIES: Babies grow in a cycle with four trimesters (sound familiar?)
4 - WORLD ORDER: Even empires rise, collapse, and rebuild in four stages — again and again.
Innovation mirrors the natural cycle of transformation.
The cycles above aren't failures. They’re transformations. So why do we expect innovation to behave like a Gantt chart? Why do we treat uncertainty like a red flag — when every other living system needs it to grow.
The truth (that we have all lived through) is that transformation is not a linear process. It is a generative, living cycle that is filled with ambiguity, discovery, tension, and transformation.
A Different Way To Innovate
A Different Way To Innovate
The Generative Innovation Cycle is a staged approach for creating effective, sustainable, and transformative innovations.
We created it to help leaders and teams understand the natural process of transformation so they could orient, position, plan, predict, and generate value across every phase of the transformation.
Similar to other transformation processes, the Generative Innovation Cycle is built on four core pillars: (1) Purpose. (2) Value. (3) Partnership. (4) Outcomes. Each pillar offers a different way to relate to change — one that honors both strategy and emergence, clarity and complexity.
1 - PURPOSE: Instead of rushing to define success 👉 Purpose helps teams align on why they’re doing this in the first place, even when the path is unclear.
2 - VALUE: Instead of measuring only what’s delivered 👉 Value tracks what’s discovered, learned, and revealed — because deeper insights lead to greater results.
3 - PARTNERSHIP: Instead of treating stakeholders like customers 👉 Partnership invites deeper collaboration — prioritizing co-creation and trust over perfection and approval.
4 - OUTCOMES: And instead of chasing fixed KPIs 👉 Outcomes evolve based on what the system is ready for — and what’s truly needed next.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more aware of what’s already unfolding and leading from that place.
The Generative Innovation Cycle is a staged approach for creating effective, sustainable, and transformative innovations.
We created it to help leaders and teams understand the natural process of transformation so they could orient, position, plan, predict, and generate value across every phase of the transformation.
Similar to other transformation processes, the Generative Innovation Cycle is built on four core pillars: (1) Purpose. (2) Value. (3) Partnership. (4) Outcomes. Each pillar offers a different way to relate to change — one that honors both strategy and emergence, clarity and complexity.
1 - PURPOSE: Instead of rushing to define success 👉 Purpose helps teams align on why they’re doing this in the first place, even when the path is unclear.
2 - VALUE: Instead of measuring only what’s delivered 👉 Value tracks what’s discovered, learned, and revealed — because deeper insights lead to greater results.
3 - PARTNERSHIP: Instead of treating stakeholders like customers 👉 Partnership invites deeper collaboration — prioritizing co-creation and trust over perfection and approval.
4 - OUTCOMES: And instead of chasing fixed KPIs 👉 Outcomes evolve based on what the system is ready for — and what’s truly needed next.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more aware of what’s already unfolding and leading from that place.
Stepping Into Flow
If your project is taking longer than expected...If your team feels disoriented...If the outcomes are unclear...
Don’t panic. Don’t force it. And please don’t call it a failure. You’re not falling behind. You’re not broken. You’re in a living cycle — and the process is working. Let it teach you. Let it open you. Let it expand what is possible. It isn’t failure. It is becoming.
If your project is taking longer than expected...If your team feels disoriented...If the outcomes are unclear...
Don’t panic. Don’t force it. And please don’t call it a failure. You’re not falling behind. You’re not broken. You’re in a living cycle — and the process is working. Let it teach you. Let it open you. Let it expand what is possible. It isn’t failure. It is becoming.