Principle 5 - "Integrate rather than separate"
OR HOW TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR IMPACT
I highlight the parallels between the 12 operational principles of permaculture and sustainable transformations in organizational systems. If you are a professional committed to promoting a better society, these principles and insights should help you maximize your impact and inner peace. Here is the first, the second , the 3rd and 4th article. Today we’ll discuss the 5th principle.
💡 A Simple Explanation of the Principles of Permaculture
Nature in its unspoiled state bears much more resemblance to English country gardens than to French geometric gardens.
Rational thinking leads us to want to separate the elements of an ecosystem in order to create an artificial “order.”
But the sustainability of nature depends more on the interconnections between species than on competition.
Illustration of the principle of symbiosis: “The sea anemone receives extra food from the clownfish, which in turn receives protection in exchange.”
- Collective Intelligence: Let’s Consciously Co-Create the World of Tomorrow, p. 62
🔍 Implementation in a transformation initiative
Why limit ourselves to a mindset of competition and silos when we need every part of the whole to bring about sustainable organizational transformation?
One day, a manager told me how tensions between teams were eased within a few months.
The sales and operations teams were constantly complaining about each other, blaming one another for their difficulties. The salespeople were “selling anything and everything,” and the operations team was “blocking all access to information.”
After a while, the boss decided to seat them side by side in the same office and encourage them to work together to secure the contracts. A few months later, their collaboration had grown significantly.
This ability to build connections through physical proximity and by working on shared projects really made an impression on me. This principle inspired us when we launched an organization’s “Purpose & Sustainability” roadmap.
Eight innovative pilot projects were jointly defined with country managers and operational staff from a wide range of backgrounds. The initiatives were diverse: innovative projects to promote biodiversity, bonus policies linked to multifaceted performance indicators, and the overhaul of the proposal development process.
Each entity selected the pilot project that would make it a pioneer in this field for the Zone.
After several months of work within cross-functional teams, a flagship event was organized to share feedback and decide on the future rollout of these pilot projects.
I will never forget the smiles, the pride, and the sense of solidarity in the eyes and faces of these close-knit teams as they shared their successes, their challenges, and their proposals for moving forward.
🐝 Tips for Getting Active
For change agents, it is helpful to consider this principle of integration on two levels: external and internal.
Externally, entities positioned along your value chain can be strong partners in achieving the desired transformation. A supplier or customer can help you rethink the eco-design of your products. An NGO or local organization can help you understand the needs of the community so you can add more value.
Internally, all employees will have an impact on the organization’s transformation projects. If they are committed, they will be a driving force and a source of innovation. If they are indifferent or resistant to change, they will create obstacles and roadblocks.
How can you engage your stakeholders in the organization's future?
By not forcing them, by listening to them, by trusting their reality, by communicating with them, and by making suggestions.
How do you get started? Replace your “no” and “yes, but” with“YES, AND.”
Let's take an example. Imagine this: You're presenting your impact project to a colleague, and they share their concerns with you. Instead of:
“No, but you see, the issue is X, and it’s really important that you understand this because X”
Maybe you could try
“Yeah, so I hear that you need X, and that gives me an idea for X—what do you think?”
“‘Stopseparating yourselves and separating things, (...) it means daring to see how much we influence our reality and often reap what we sow.’”
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Hello to you, agents of change!
I'm Nina Cambadélis, an impact coach and expert in leadership and sustainable transformation.
For more than 10 years, I was in charge of transformation and multifaceted performance initiatives at a multicultural CAC 40 company. What I love to do is help organizations and professionals rethink their business and make them proud to contribute, in their own way, to a world that is more sustainable, more humane, and more respectful of nature.
If you'd like some guidance along the way, contact me!
