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A little hint: Please read our blog post number 17 before you continue reading here. There are a few basics about the DNA Wheel to help you get started.
A year ago, I stumbled across Laura Storm's DNA Wheel for the first time, a tool for checking where an organization stands in terms of regeneration. Curious as I am, I immediately set out to use it for an assessment of my organization, The People Network: I looked at how we currently manage to slow down at work and give space to inspiration (Living Systems Being), support a trusting, authentic and purpose-driven team culture (Living Systems Culture) and use the principles of nature to design our products (Living Systems Design).
I quickly realized that although the first two DNA strands were easy to evaluate, I was struggling with the last strand, Living Systems Design. Why? Because The People Network is not a manufacturing company, but a network of independent trainers, coaches and consultants, most of whom work in leadership and organizational development. Many regenerative principles that can be applied to product design are difficult to transfer to services (e.g. biophilic design, circularity, waste is food, etc.).
However, I didn't give up because my curiosity was on fire. What could a service organization do to enable a regenerative future for its customers? The easy answer was printing out less workshop material, traveling by train and ordering vegan catering for the participants which was not nearly enough for me. There had to be more.
After some thought, I came up with an interesting idea that seemed impressively simple at first. It was based on the realization that although a regenerative service organization does not directly create regenerative products, it can play an important role as an enabler for the three strands of Living Systems Design, Culture and Being for its customers. Regenerative services, especially in the consulting, training and coaching segment, can and should make a contribution to bringing people back into contact with themselves and their being, to ensuring authentic, purpose-oriented cooperation and, of course, to passing on knowledge and methods for the development of regenerative products.
The DNA Wheel for regenerative service organizations could therefore look like this:
Living Systems Being: How much value does your organization and its teams place on slowing down, pausing and playfully giving space to new ideas and inspirations?
Living Systems Culture: How diverse, authentic and resilient are your teams and what larger, regenerative purpose are they committed to?
Living Systems Service Design: How much do your services support clients and their employees in bringing the Living Systems Design, Culture and/or Being strands to life?
And now you:
Do you work in a service organization? Then take the DNA Wheel and take a closer look at your organization.
How can your organization become even more regenerative?
Do you see any other ways to adapt the Living Systems Service Design area so that you can make the world a little more regenerative with your organization? Feel free to post your ideas in the chat.
Twin Tip: If you want to learn more about this topic, sign up for Laura Storm's next Regenerative Leadership Journey, which starts in January. We can wholeheartedly recommend it from our own experience! For regenerative activists who can't afford the Journey, Laura is currently offering scholarships.