Solving problems with innovation in divided times

Successful organizations start with bringing people together to solve problems and grow a successful culture from those small steps.

It’s time to put innovation and democratic problem-solving back at the center of American life. Our homes and workplaces are full of too much division, blame, and shouting, and not enough common ground, collaborative leadership, and deep listening.

A strange journey full of seemingly contradictory events led me to stand up for the power and possibility of finding common ground. I started out as a youthful lefty anarchist and now often ally with big companies and conservatives looking to be part of solutions.

As a first-generation daughter of immigrants, I still believe in the innovative dream of America that is being eclipsed by so much angry shouting. As CEO of Dream.Org, I lead a nonprofit that was once three standalone organizations, spending my days building bridges in order to scale up solutions to big problems. And as a mom of two teenagers with many opinions of their own, I think our country’s best days are still ahead of us. 

In July, America will celebrate the 248th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—just two years from the big 250. I want to spend the next year talking about what all of us can do in our businesses, homes, and communities to be ready to face the next 250 years. 

A big part of that is putting innovation back at the center of our story. Innovation has never been just an industry buzzword—it’s at the heart of what this country is all about.

THE SPIRIT OF AMERICAN ASPIRATION

America had what you might call, generously, an absolutely terrible product launch. You could see the idea: freedom and dignity for all, a faith in better things coming tomorrow. That part was great. But it was rife with actual flaws: slavery, lack of suffrage for the majority, and an ongoing legacy of conquest of first peoples. 

The genius of America was that we were willing to innovate and practice democratic problem-solving as we went. Each generation tried to leave the country a little better off by tackling those flaws one by one. We tried to expand the people involved in making decisions so that we could enlist more wisdom and ingenuity.

Seen this way, we don’t celebrate the Fourth of July because that day in 1776 was perfect. We celebrate the process of making it better—including all the innovators and freedom fighters who got us here.

I fear this spirit is getting lost in the midst of partisan shouting. Some want to scourge American businesses of DEI, as if our diversity was not always our greatest strength. Others seem to have given up on the idea that we can actually tackle big problems. Successful organizations, on the other hand, start with bringing people together to solve problems and grow a successful culture from those small steps.

THE NEXT 250 YEARS OF INNOVATION

Every day, I come in contact with people who are using technology and their own lived experiences to improve our lives and communities. They are figuring out ways to disrupt mass incarceration or transition to a clean-energy future. They look at advancements like AI as an opportunity to tackle real problems, even while admitting that the tech industry doesn’t have a sterling record on diversity within its own ranks.

Actual innovators resist the easy either/ors flooding out of our political life and instead try to see how we can cross divides to solve problems.

What would innovating our way through the next 250 years entail? For starters:

1. Embracing collaborative leadership instead of top-down founder-worship models: Great leaders recognize the power of diverse perspectives and try to cultivate organizations full of leaders.

2. Expanding democratic decision-making in our economy so that the people closest to the problem have access to the resources to enact their solutions: Democracy is about more than voting; it’s about having a say in your community. Too many people with innovative solutions are locked out of the power and financing to put them into action.

3. Intentional problem-solving so we are tackling the big problems without more divide-and-conquer nonsense: Grand challenges require grand coalitions—whether that means breaking down workplace silos or working together with neighbors.

4. Realizing that imperfection and diversity create more resilient organizations and communities than perfectionism and uniformity: Leaders shouldn’t be afraid of failure, but of failing to learn from mistakes. Cultivating diverse workplaces isn’t a passing fad, but a strategy for a successful organization.

5. Seeking common ground instead of trying to vanquish people who disagree: Many people are so focused on winning arguments that it gets in the way of solving problems. We do not have to agree on everything to work together on one thing—and that joint endeavor can build trust that carries over to future projects.

All of these are topics worth exploring further. But they boil down to this: At the heart of any successful business, organization, family, or nation is the wisdom to remember your mistakes and the commitment to grow beyond them. It’s time that maxim was back at the heart of the life we live together.

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This article was published by Fast Company on June 25, 2024. You can read it on the Fast Company website here.

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