Business-as-usual is as conventional as a plastic tree

Be realistic, stop doing things differently and start doing different things.

We have been playing within the parameters of business as usual for long enough. Green growth, green linear industries and green overconsumption are myths prolonging the status quo and stifling deep change. Why prolong a dying system when you can power the transition to a better, more resilient, just and regenerative system?

This newsletter is created for impact-oriented business professionals who are done prolonging the status quo and are seeking inspiration, insights, like-minded individuals, tools, methods and support in the transition to a better future.

But first, let's explore why the best moment to start abandoning business as usual is now!

Business-As-Usual as the 'conventional model'

Viewing modern capitalism and ‘business as usual’ as the conventional model is only a sign of how narrow our view of the world has become. We aren't seeing plastic trees as the conventional kind of trees, right?! So why would we consider linear, extractive businesses conventional? Conventional literally means 'based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed'. When you take the whole history of humanity and all its beautiful societies and wide range of trading forms into consideration. The current linear extractive way of doing business is as unconventional as a plastic tree.

The earth is 4.6 billion years old. Modern humans have been around for around 200.000 years old. People have been trading goods for over 40.000 years and for over 8000 years people traded in complex international networks, fulfilling their desire for products and goods from distant countries. Capitalism emerged in the 16th century and modern capitalism is as young as the early 18th century. Countless nations, communities and businesses have proven the possibility of trading goods whilst living in symbiosis with nature.

With this timeline in mind and the widely spreading realization that extractive, linear, purely financial growth capitalism, is incompatible with thriving societal and ecological eco-systems makes it is clear that it isn’t the conventional model. It is a glitch in the history of humanity. A time in which we as a species forgot how to live in symbiosis with nature. This glitch allowed us to drive the evolution of technology and healthcare at a mind-boggling speed, but now, it is time we find our way back to symbiosis, balance and regeneration.

Shifting Horizons

‘We have been, and still are, in the grips of a flawed view of reality – a flawed paradigm, a flawed worldview – and it pervades our culture putting us on a biological collision course with collapse. CEO of Interface, Ray Anderson

This current paradigm, or in other words our worldview affects how we see life, our purpose, responsibilities and our place in it.

In contrast, the regenerative paradigm shows us a more holistic approach to business. The three-horizon framework helps to illustrate the importance of transitioning from the business-as-usual paradigm to the regenerative paradigm as the way forward to a thriving future.

The first business-as-usual horizon model represents the standard operating practices of an organization or society. Focused on improving efficiency and profitability. This horizon is often characterized by a strong focus on financial goals, with little consideration given to the impact of business activities on the environment or society.

The third thriving future horizon shows the transition to a thriving, just and regenerative future. A world that we are slowly seeing come to life all around us. A world in which businesses and governments are aware of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all systems. A world in which value means so much more than money. A world in which long-term success, ecological and social well-being is prioritized over short-term financial gains. An inclusive, kind, compassionate, creative world characterized by diversity, collaboration and symbiosis.

Impact Oriented Businesses leading the way

Shifting from business-as-usual to regenerative leadership is vital for a thriving future to come into life. Future-oriented businesses, guided by impact-driven leaders have a tremendous potential to help more traditional business-as-usual businesses to shift their horizons. Impact-oriented businesses stand with one foot in both worlds. With the opportunity to consciously let go of business-as-usual and be at the forefront of this new emerging world.

Impact-oriented businesses already embarked on their journey to a better future. All these steps in the right direction make a whole lot of difference. It means they can, quicker than traditional non-impact-oriented businesses shift horizons, embrace the regenerative worldview and become the examples of future-fit businesses that all industries are so longing for.

Even for impact-driven businesses, operating in the business-as-usual world, it might feel counter-intuitive to focus on long-term goals, radical compassion and mindset in a world with countless tangible short-term worries. The times we live in feel increasingly uncertain and the problems we are facing are, to say the least, daunting and urgent. A natural response is quickly wanting to fix all of these problems by starting to act straight away. But falling into the trap of rapid action and immediate tangible outcomes is exactly what is capturing us within the old paradigm. I fell into this trap too. This sense of urgency and desire to speed up change and action is exactly why I called my business The Green Sprint . But over the years I realized, the best way to speed up is to slow down. Taking immediate action and speeding up without paying attention to our current situation, the systems, structures and patterns that form our business and our thinking. This might lead to rapid change, but it will be change within the old paradigm. Not the kind of fundamental transformation required to realize a thriving future for humanity, the earth and business.

It can be hard for impact-oriented business leaders to transition to a new paradigm whilst the rest of the world is still stuck. But to all intrinsically driven impact leaders out there, you are the right people to power this paradigm shift. You are the ones that can help the world to shift its horizons. You are the ones that can show that building a regenerative business, changing your mindset and working for a thriving future is possible and worthwhile! It is time for all leaders across all industries to show courage, embrace uncertainty and join the regenerative movement in creating a thriving future. And we have the chance of succeeding when this movement is powered and led by impact-oriented leaders who choose to not just do better things within the old paradigm, but to do completely different things and lead the world into the new paradigm.

In this bi-weekly newsletter we will be talking about; Unlearning business-as-usual, Unleashing your Imagination and Realizing the regenerative leadership capabilities that you will need to lead the way to a thriving future.

This newsletter is written for those of you who are aspiring regenerative leaders seeking to shape the future of business. The pathways to a thriving future are already there, it is now up to us to find and show the way forward.

In the next edition of #ShiftingHorizons, we’ll be talking about uncovering these pathways. Do you have advice for leaders who are exploring new horizons? Tell us in the comments here.