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Strengthening our capacity towards building a new world

Today, the world is in flux, filled with complexities and contradictions that require us to imagine new paths forward with intention and nuance. What is certain is that the systems we inherited are not built for the future we envision. 

We have an opportunity to build something that has never been built before. But it will require us to transform the way we connect, collaborate and approach challenges. The task ahead of us is to build new ecosystems, one that fosters co-creation and nurtures a variety of perspectives. One that delivers exponential change.

The work of transformation is not about coming up with a single, universal solution. No single organization can solve the world’s problems alone. By creating ecosystems of support, we can enable organizations of various types, sizes, and models to work together, share learnings, and leverage resources in ways that create exponential change. 

At New Profit, we call this approach the M.I.C. – a multiracial, intergenerational and cross-sector set of relationships, practices, and mindsets. The M.I.C. is a shorthand for ways of thinking, doing, and connecting with each other to advance shared goals. The goal is the pursuit of unity, not uniformity. As students of history, we know what’s possible when we work collaboratively toward a shared goal, unified in purpose, in vision and in values. As futurists, we must remember that the sum of our efforts surpasses what we can achieve alone, and the most proven method to transform systems is to co-design and co-create across lines of difference. 

What would it take to build our capacity for exponential change?  A few key mindsets are: 

Honoring our interdependence

System orchestration is ambitious and highly complex. It requires bridging many sectors and organizations. It demands that we look beyond conventional, “one size fits all” solutions. The solutions we seek will not come from one singular entity but through multiracial, intergenerational, cross-sector collaboration. 

We can no longer afford to work in isolation, because this puts a ceiling on what we can accomplish. The ecosystem we are building must allow for us to step outside of our traditional silos. If we are going to generate exponential change that matches the scale and depth of our ambitions, we must actively create spaces where we can co-design solutions together.

True innovation happens when we honor our interdependence, seek opportunities outside of our traditional networks, and engage voices that are often overlooked. In nurturing these collaborative ecosystems, we create the enabling environment for systems-level solutions to thrive. 

Moving at the speed of trust

Trust is foundational to creating the conditions for change. Trust can operate on three levels: between system orchestrators and funders, between orchestrators and the communities they serve, and among orchestrators themselves as they seek to connect their efforts. 

Trust is not a given. Trust is often predicated on familiarity. But if we continue to trust only those who come in familiar packages, we miss out on wisdom. 

We have to be in the business of accelerating trust. This takes time and is made possible through deliberate efforts to recognize and prioritize our interconnectedness. This can be found in spaces of open dialogue, where all voices are recognized as having inherent value and all participants seen as being necessary contributors. Pay attention to how orchestrators invest in the time they spend with others — by being fully present and listening deeply, by striving to better understand the experiences of others, and by navigating this world with empathy and curiosity. 

When we create space for radical candor, we can facilitate direct, honest and precise conversations about what helps us thrive, and what no longer serves us. There is a special vulnerability that comes from working toward a shared purpose. That is where we can find the raw material of trust. 

Changing mindsets to change systems

Linear thinking doesn’t give rise to exponential change. Building something that has never existed before requires us to shift our mental models – the deeply held beliefs, assumptions and frameworks that inform how we perceive the world. 

Our mental models shape the narratives we assign to ourselves and others, and how we move through the world. Too often, our mindsets constrain us, limiting the scope of our ambitions before we even begin. We must be willing to challenge our assumptions and embrace new ways of understanding. This calls upon us to rethink traditional power structures and question presumed limitations. When we shift our mindsets, we shift how we design and implement solutions. This can unlock transformational systems change at the deepest levels. 

Make no mistake, it is not easy to change a mindset. It means challenging the ingrained frameworks that shape our behavior. It means exposing ourselves to new, differing perspectives. It means sitting with the discomfort, the tension of cognitive dissonance, as we confront and re-evaluate how we see ourselves and the world. New mindsets require repetition and practice. It means getting comfortable with the unfamiliar. That is how we will get closer to building systems capable of exponential change. 

Taking philanthropy back to its roots

The etymology of the word ‘philanthropy’ means ‘a love of humankind.’ Which invites us to ask ourselves, what does it look like to lead with love? 

Love requires us to see each other in our full humanity, not as flattened, two-dimensional characters. It illuminates brilliance and expertise, it removes restrictions we put on ourselves and each other, it powers our multiracial, intergenerational, cross-sector ecosystems, and it is at the heart of system orchestration.

Love is not a synonym for a bleeding heart; love holds us to account. It is simultaneously the foundation and the archstone for exponential change.

Engage with people, ideas and environments that offer new viewpoints. Seek out those who may think differently or have lived experiences that differ from your own. Listen to understand. As our minds grow more nimble, so do our solutions, becoming strategies that adapt and evolve with us. 

System orchestrators shift paradigms to solve complex, global problems, improve our coordination in identifying and addressing interconnected issues, and approach challenges with informed strategy while leaving room for experimentation and adaptability. 

The gift of this moment is that we have the opportunity to bridge the world we live in today with the world we envision for tomorrow. We have the vision, we have the ambition, we now need to strengthen our capacity to challenge the status quo and reimagine a world where all have the opportunity to thrive.