Measuring success in a network: A broader definition of value

Projects vs Foundations? Wrong Question. They’re Partners. 💡 Great organisations run two gears: projects that fix today’s pain and prove the value of change, and foundations that lay the track for tomorrow’s growth and competitiveness. Fund both - or innovation stalls. In innovation (and AI), there are two modes: ✔ Specific projects - targeted deliveries that solve immediate pain points and create visible wins. ✔ Foundation investments — platforms, data, talent, and governance that enable future speed, scale, and resilience. These modes aren’t rivals. They’re complementary, like the engine and the rails. One moves fast; the other makes fast possible. Projects (short term): - Remove real pain now, with measurable ROI. - Act as showcases that help stakeholders and “the majority” of staff see tangible benefits. - Build momentum for continued investment and attract talent to the journey. - Seed an innovation culture with credible, lived examples. Foundations (longer term): - Take time - often several times longer than a single project - but they’re essential to survive and compete. - Even if personal credit arrives later, foundations equip teams with soft skills, implementation techniques, and infrastructure literacy that outlast roles. - Most importantly, they future-proof the company - which indirectly secures careers by keeping the organisation worth staying in. (Humour aside: projects are the fireworks; foundations are the fire safety, the wiring, and the permit.) Run innovation as a two-speed portfolio: ✔ Exploit (Projects with ROI): Clear problem, scope, metrics, and payback. Use as internal demos to build confidence and culture. ✔ Explore (Foundations with option value): Invest in for example data platforms, governance, and skills. Fund as strategic options - not guaranteed returns, but enabling capabilities. Bridge the two:  ✔ Tie every foundation to at least one near-term project and every project to a reusable component. ✔ Stage-gate funding, publish learnings, and celebrate well-run experiments - outcome-agnostic. Protect people, not pet projects: Reward rigour, clarity of assumptions, and speed of iteration. Normalise “evidence over ego”; missed hypotheses are learning, not career risk, so ideal but believes. ✅ How does your organisation balance quick wins with long-term foundations? What rituals or metrics have helped keep both gears turning? #Innovation #AI #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #Strategy #Culture #ExploreAndExploit #PortfolioManagement #FutureOfWork #LearningCulture

A few remarkable findings from the week & I am absolutely blown away by the bright people who put these thoughts into a relatable & translatable form … 👀 [pt. 2 of 2] • • • • • 🧬 Social Innovation I 1. Only 200 years ago social innovators were despised as “ignorant, conspiratorial, subversive, anarchist socialists”, that’s quite a leap to today’s perception of social innovation. 2. Emancipatory social innovation was a huge driver for establishing modern democracies. 3. Social innovations were seen as mere consequences of technological & economic innovations. 4. Social Innovation is currently treated as an organizational way to solve social issues. 5. Every social change relies on qualitatively connecting bottom-up & top-down initiatives—everyone knows someone who knows someone from the other end. 🔄 Design Thinking & Digital Innovation 1. In every creation scenario there is a multitude of factors impacting the innovation process, so get your set & setting straight. 2. When feeling stuck, use random-entry or provocation techniques to subvert habitual thinking, e.g. exaggerate, think wishfully, reverse the scenario, negate, escape, distort & skew reality. 3. Every innovation process is comprised of analysis & synthesis in one way or another, just like inhaling & exhaling 👉 absorb, create, repeat. 4. A proven recipe for innovation is to team up, define your values, do everyday challenges for sharpened micro-skills & to take notes of your thoughts.  5. Experimentation is key. 🤝 Ethics & Sustainability 1. When feeling insecure about your path, tell your grandma what you’re doing to see if it makes sense what you’re doing. 2. Our collective goal for education should be the ability to distinguish faith from knowledge. 3. Only ~70K years ago humanity started to imagine things that didn’t yet exist 👉 think futures, wishful thinking, theoretical concepts of democracy & the like. 4. "How can we know what’s real & what’s imagination?" is a currently unsolvable human dilemma, as everything either exists without human participation, solely through human creation or simply in our thoughts. 5. Evolution is nothing else than replication, variation & selection, so in short: adaptive experimentation. • • • • • Hi, my name is Deni & I support start-ups in resolving the most promising cognitive & sensory problems in their digital services by conducting incremental experiments through science-based insights. 🤝 Interested? Drop me a line or leave a react. 📬

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? —𝑨 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 In an age increasingly defined by data dashboards, performance metrics, and digital platforms, the impulse to measure, quantify, and automate every aspect of innovation has grown strong. Yet, this over-reliance on metrics and technology may subtly erode the very essence of community-led innovation — the human relationships, trust, and collective creativity that drive meaningful and sustainable change. Metrics offer clarity, but they may also narrow our vision. When communities are guided more by numbers than by narratives, the intangible but vital aspects of innovation — empathy, inclusion, and local wisdom — often remain invisible and undervalued. Technology, meanwhile, is a powerful enabler, but it risks becoming a substitute for engagement if not used judiciously. Digital tools can facilitate knowledge sharing and scale up good practices, yet they cannot replicate the slow, iterative, and often emotional process of communities discovering solutions through dialogue, shared experience, and mutual learning. True community-led innovation flourishes in spaces where people feel ownership, not where they are merely data points in a system. The danger lies in letting algorithms dictate priorities or letting standardized metrics overshadow context-specific progress. When success is defined only by what can be measured, the subtle transformations — empowerment, confidence, resilience — that make communities self-reliant may go unnoticed and unsupported. Thus, the challenge is not to reject technology or metrics, but to reimagine their roles. They should serve as tools of reflection and support, not control. Innovation grounded in human connection, guided by local context, and enriched — not dominated — by technology is more likely to endure and adapt. Balancing the precision of data with the intuition of community wisdom is the path toward genuine, inclusive, and resilient innovation.

Just as our health and care systems evolve, so too does our approach to evidence, learning and evaluation. Developmental Evaluation (DE) is a pathway through the complexity, mess, and uncertainty that arise from changing policies, practices, and contexts. This article is an introduction to DE and an explainer of how it can be used to support health leaders and their teams, drawing on work that I've been involved in and how DE was used to support teams learn, evolve, and stay on top of the changes that were thrown at them (from COVID 19 to rapid policy changes to service disruptions). I could talk all day about this stuff -- which is why I write about it. But if you're interested in learning more or doing it with your organization, I promise I won't talk all day if you want to chat :) #developmentalevaluation #learning #healthinnovation #strategicdesign

From 28–30 October, I attended the Vikāra Institute Market Systems Symposium. The sessions and conversations offered me space to rethink how we understand systems, collaboration, and learning. Day 1’s standout was a Secret Sunrise-style exercise. Each participant wore headphones tuned into three channels, receiving different instructions. Instead of another plenary or panel of opinions, we were inside the system; moving, observing, interpreting. It was an embodied exercise in systems thinking. What was insightful was the reflection afterwards: we were invited not only to share what we thought, but what we felt and noticed. Most conferences ask us to debate opinions about opinions; this asked something different of us. Later, in a session on monitoring and evaluation, two quotes stayed with me: “Monitoring and evaluation should be done for curiosity, not compliance.” “Data flows upwards. Power does not.” It raised a question I’m still sitting with: how our pursuit of rigour can sometimes lead to epistemicide, when narrow ways of knowing erase other ways of learning. On Day 2, Deon shared on futures thinking, opening with the question “Does the future exist?” It reminded me that we can study the future, but we can’t learn from it; the future is the rehearsal of tomorrow, done today. In a later session on entrepreneurial ecosystems, a researcher from Uganda shared five key success factors he found in entrepreneurs: 1. Mindset 2. Landscape 3. Skills building 4. Access to finance 5. External environment It’s fascinating that funding came fourth. We often design initiatives around finance, yet mindsets remain the quiet driver of transformation. This echoes our work at The Fifth Element, where we speak of paradigm shifts. If capital has always existed, but systems stagnate, maybe the work begins with mental models, not money. That day also brought conversations with Neil, who reflected that much of what he has now came from youth spaces he was part of, and that many youth programmes today are for young people, rather than by them. Heather guided me to question not what we measure, but what we measure for, linking back to curiosity over compliance and the idea that data should build sovereignty, not only accountability. Day 3 felt more personal. In a workshop on collaboration, our group concluded that collaboration isn’t a process problem; it’s a values problem. Activities and frameworks only work when the underlying values align. After the symposium, I gave an impromptu architectural walk through the Durban Point precinct to Lourdes. Away from the formal setting, conversations became more embedded in the landscape around us, connecting Durban’s layered histories to global patterns that echo across geographies. It reminded me that systems thinking is relational; it often happens while walking to see Rodney Choromanski’s timeball tower rather than sitting around a table. And so the biggest takeaway is We study to understand. We learn to transform.

Preparing for 2030 👇 🌎 There’s so much happening across the technology sector right now, influencing business in ways that are both exciting and, at times, overwhelming - building capability is key! 🧠 When I think about what 2030 might look like, several consistent themes emerge - areas that are already shaping how organisations evolve, compete, and contribute. 🐣 Emerging Opportunities - In my presentations, I often share 10 trends I believe will define 2030. - These include sustainable fulfilment, the rise of quantum computing, the maturity of artificial intelligence, and the growing expectation for ethical technology use. - Each brings both opportunity and responsibility, asking leaders to consider how innovation connects to people, purpose, and performance. - Sustainable fulfilment practices, for instance, are more than just a trend. They reflect the expectations of the communities and countries in which we operate, particularly around ESG policies and their practical implementation. - Then there is quantum computing - still in its early stages, but already showing the potential to tackle complex problems that would have seemed impossible only a few years ago. 🤓 The Digital Workforce - Beyond technology, there’s the digital workforce. Expectations are evolving. - People want to feel engaged, informed, and productive, wherever and however they work. - For boards and executive groups, this creates a set of questions that need thoughtful answers. - I’ve been fortunate to present to several executive groups recently, and what strikes me most is how these trends ripple out across an organisation. - It’s not just about understanding technology; it’s about understanding people and their place within a strategy. ♻️ Four Principles for Progress - That brings me to four simple, but powerful, principles I try to reflect in every conversation: clarity, connection, capability, and consciousness. - Clarity is about ensuring the strategy is understood - not just at the top, but by the broader organisation. - Connection is about linking people to that strategy in a way that is meaningful for them personally. - Capability is about equipping teams to deliver against potential. and - Consciousness is about keeping these ideas alive, week after week, in everyday business. 🤔 In thinking about 2030, the digital workforce is central. It’s both a challenge and an opportunity - a way to extend strategy, innovate, and evolve how we work. 👉 If you want a tailored discussion for your organisation around these four principles, I’d be delighted to talk, DM or email david@changelead..com 🙏 Here’s to navigating the possibilities of tomorrow, thoughtfully and with humility. - David David Banger CHANGE lead ® #DavidBanger #MakingLifeHappen #FindingABetterWay #DigitalIsEveryonesBusiness #author #facilitator #speaker #leadership #digital #positivethinking #cyber #life #ai

This 👇 "Yesterday’s world looked like this: - Learn once, and apply your knowledge for decades. - Build a single, linear career path. - Define yourself by your job title. - Lead through control and certainty. - Measure success by mastering one system. Today’s world looks different: - Unlearn and relearn continuously. - Build a portfolio of reinventions — not one career, but many chapters. - Define yourself by adaptability and curiosity. - Lead through renewal and resilience. - Measure success by fluency across changing systems."

We talk a lot about the “future of work.” But standing in that room at the University of East London, it didn’t feel like the future. It felt like right now. Students weren’t asking for theories or predictions. They were asking how to prove what they can do. And that question says everything about where work is heading. For me, that moment was a reminder: this future won’t be built by one side alone. Not by universities. Not by startups. But by what happens between them. According to the World Economic Forum, 39% of today’s skills will transform or go out of date by 2030. That means the gap between knowing and doing is about to widen. Universities shape the talent. Startups build the systems. And somewhere between the two is where trust lives - where what you know becomes something you can show. That’s why I build. Because credentials alone aren’t enough anymore. I’ve seen how many talented people get overlooked simply because their proof isn’t visible, or because of where they live. That’s what drives what we’re building at Talent3X: a way to make contributions visible and fair. If you’re in education, tech, or talent development, you’re part of this shift too. Every time you help someone show their work, you make trust stronger for everyone. Let’s build more of that together. Because the future of work isn’t coming. It’s already here. And it’s in our hands. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share what’s emerging behind the scenes. ♻️ Repost to help others discover Talent3X ➕ Follow André Pager for insights on leadership, technology, and the future of work.

How Mature Ecosystems Become Collective Intelligence Systems: In human-centred verticals like healthcare, sustainability, and social innovation, success rarely comes from a single organization. It emerges from how effectively multiple players learn, build, and adapt together. In other words, how they operate as a collective intelligence system. KPMG's 2024 Partner Ecosystem Outlook described this well: “A partner ecosystem is a dynamic network of interconnected organizations that create mutual value by sharing insights, capabilities, and data across boundaries.” When that happens, the ecosystem becomes more than the sum of its parts. It begins to think and act as one. We can see this in action: • Healthtech: Teladoc and Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare integrate communication, analytics, and care delivery to reach more patients with better outcomes. • Climate: Schneider Electric’s sustainability ecosystem aligns suppliers, AI-driven data firms, and customers to accelerate decarbonization. • Education: The World Bank’s EdTech Hub brings together governments, NGOs, and technology innovators to scale equitable learning models. These aren’t just partnerships, they’re systems that share intelligence, capacity, and purpose. Nature figured this out long ago. A redwood forest, for example, thrives not because of the strength of any one tree, but because its roots interconnect beneath the surface — stabilizing, nourishing, and protecting the entire grove. Mature ecosystems work the same way. Their strength comes from connection, not size. The more they intertwine, the more resilient they become. For mission-based organizations, that’s the opportunity ahead: to treat partnerships not as transactions or channels, but as living systems that learn and adapt together. When your ecosystem can think together, it can grow together. What examples have you seen where collaboration becomes collective intelligence? *These musings inspired by autumn walks in Lynn Valley, and the book "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben. Image from the illustrated edition which I highly recommend!

The Norm Transformation Canvas simplifies and aligns strategies for lasting social and cultural change. Here's a quick breakdown: 🔹 Social Change Blueprint — Offers a visual framework to map and execute strategies for shifting norms, making complex transformations manageable. 🔹 Ten Essential Building Blocks — Forces pragmatic answers: moral claims, consensus, message spread, visibility actions, risks, and securing gains. 🔹 Common Language Across Actors — Provides a unified way for diverse groups to communicate, akin to the Business Model Canvas for entrepreneurs. 🔹 Bridge from Vision to Execution — Transforms big ideas into actionable plans by identifying allies, managing backlash, and institutionalizing changes. 🔹 Adaptive and Dynamic Tool — Encourages ongoing adjustments to strategies as circumstances evolve, ensuring flexibility and resilience. 🔹 Simple Yet Powerful Connections — Visual and collaborative, ideal for workshops, it connects moral claims, amplifiers, and coalitions for clarity and focus. 🔹 Scales Across Initiatives — Supports everything from local projects to international coalitions, enabling structured, repeatable processes. 🔹 Ultimate Goal: Embedding Norms — Shifts norms from abstract demands to ingrained social common sense, measured through legal, cultural, and educational integration. The canvas transforms daunting norm changes into navigable strategies, crucial for designing lasting social transformation. Article URL: https://lnkd.in/ea5zR7vK