Economic Transition Plan

Executive Summary

An exceptional historical context

The covid-19 crisis is the first shock of this decade. There are dozens of convergent historical challenges upcoming. We will not be able to deal with them one by one. To enable us to deal with them, we will have to adopt a holistic-systemic view, develop methodologies and road books to more local resilience. 

This paper is about creating visionary and inspiring territorial pilot projects and initiatives to bring more coherence into our society – on all levels.

Today’s politics are facing those challenges, are tired and some of them even in a “tunnel vision”. Agendas are si!milar of those of before the crisis – fear has increased, trust is lowering. We are still quite divided. On most levels: regional, national, international and global. But the local authorities – on the contrary – are well in gear with local resources and dynamics.

The major reason for this checkmate is our linear and fractured thinking. This leads to “open surgery” often in the wrong places – sometimes creating more damage than solutions.

Ingredients of success : new thinking and updated intention

  • Systemic views and knowledge, complexity management methodologies
  • Collaborations with global “best in class
  • Getting prepared for the next steps of mutation, by building local resilience through collaborations between companies, public services and local politics, experts, citizens, academics, media etc. This crisis has “waken up” lots of people and companies towards more virtuous and coherent business models and innovations
  • Coherent and aligned attitudes and personal evolution helps. This covid “compulsory retreat” has helped lots of people to question their own life, values, life rhythms, and will help to align and solidify their future.
  • This shock has stimulated creativity and willingness to collaborate and innovate together – connecting the existing dots towards more agility, efficiency and sustainability
  • The shift will not happen at once, overnight. It will start in smaller circles, communities, “islands of resilience” as we call them. And they will experiment and inspire, and as a virus, be contagious to other territories and companies. This mutation is happening globally, everywhere, we connect those and learn from the best.
  • The next growth model will be intangible, immaterial, but well connected to the tangible challenges. New ideas, models, strategic alliances, will emerge and solve historical problems in very new ways.
  • This shock also helped to refocus intentions: from individual accumulation and ego, to collaboration for common progress. We are realizing little by little that wer will not succeed anything sensible alone. All together, in collective intelligence, we will achieve much more that all alone.

Introduction

If the “post-Covid” is well managed, it could be as powerful as the post-war rebound and very invigorating for Western society. But for this rebound effect, requires having postures, visions, tools, reflexes, robust methods and processes. To date, unfortunately none of these ingredients are available by forming a coherent and understandable whole.

And if we wait, discuss without bringing a strong common vision, or if we stay stuck on an unattainable ideal, each passing day will cost between 500 million and 1 billion euros just for Belgium (money that we do not have ).

In this working document, you will find a draft of our first proposals, step by step, articulated respectively in “Top-Down” (messages and actions coming from above, from politics) and in “Bottom-up” (coming from field, businesses and citizens).

Because yes, as there are more and more people who are looking for meaning, fulfillment in their private and professional lives, consistency (bottom-up) – as much the economy itself must mutate towards more consistency, (top-down).

All of this is happening before our eyes.

But this will happen in stages, over a generation, because it is necessary to respect the level of consciousness, the maturity of each and of each company or organization. Some prefer to remain dependent on a system, others prefer to reinvent themselves, following their awareness. In the meantime, we will have to continue to show solidarity with everyone.

Because impossible to advance alone. We will not do anything alone – impossible. We are on the rope. The pioneers first, with their teams, the others then.

The next chapter of our western economy should be : 

  1. RESILIENT, AGILE and ANTIFRAGILE. Because this crisis is only the first one in this decennium. We need local “mangrove-ecosystems”.
  2. Solutions have to be SYSTEMIC. Because we do not have the manpower, time and money to deal with all challenges one by one. We need multisolutions.
  3. The vision should be MOBILIZING. Because we need the best of our people. We need heart-centered coherent businesses.

In fluorescent, absolute emergencies

In orange, the proposed concrete ACTIONS

  1. Part A: “TOP DOWN”: from top to bottom

The Top-down pulse serves several purposes:

  • mobilize collective intention towards a common, virtuous, positive and optimistic goal
  • open a fertile space, so that actors on the field can enter it, and carry out concrete actions

The contexts, challenges and resources of each territory are different. It is imperative throughout the roadmap to respect the basic principles of biomimicry. Because it is this element that will ultimately offer resilience.

Take inspiration from nature, such as a “mangrove” economy. Learn from millions of years of experience in ecosystem survival.

The human being is only an actor forming part of ecosystems anchored in a context, a territory, a climate, a biotope. It is up to him to make the effort to understand its context, its ecosystem, in order to integrate it with humility.

If this fails, the human will disappear (well known Darwinian evolution).

To succeed, let’s first return to the basics of the system of humanity and nature…

A1. The Planet: wisdom to rethink our links, our projects …

We must find all possible wisdom before we start. It already exists. Map the continental wisdom – which is already there – of the so-called “originary – native – first citizens” people and cultures. Each continent brings a type of wisdom, an identity, a package of human and terrestrial resources. Because we will have to specialize, focus on the best of each continent, country, city, business, and individual. Define the specificities of each continent (using the 7D-Value for example). They’ve always been there, but we haven’t really listened to them. They are the wise men, the Indians, the Aborigines, the shamans, the spiritual ones, the marabouts, the monks, … Their testimonies are there, everywhere, on internet and Youtube. Let’s go get them, put them end to end, and you’ll see that they almost all say the same thing. Always. Moreover, European civilization is the only one to have imposed itself as dominant on its environment rather than as a participant in a system.

Add this to the wisdom of “enlightened” leaders. Not new gurus in love with their egos, but humble ones, serving the community. Go get them because they are not the type to expose themselves … They too, with their intuitions and visions, are ready to put in a collective work to align a global vision at the service of countries, cities, and businesses.

You have to ask them how they see people reconnecting to the best of their ability, the same goes for businesses. But also their reconnection to mother earth, their territory, their roots and origins, their cultures and their hidden talents.

And finally, invite them to make teams work together to reconnect to the common good, through new multi-solutions.

All of this will gradually lead to more flow, consistency and quality in human societies.

A collective global intelligence …

ACTION 1: Project on mapping global wisdom on wise attitudes and teachings 

A2. Continental analysis

Each continent will have to do the same with all countries and regions, with its “intelligentsias of wisdom”, in collective intelligence with its citizens.

Detect the unique DNA of each basin, region, country, its culture, its origins, its resources and its unique knowledge. To be able to highlight them and put them at the service of the challenges sometimes encountered on the other side of the planet. Talents, expertise, specific industries, ancestral knowledge, unique experiences. Also, it serves as an international “PESTEL”.

ACTION 2: We must draw up a balance sheet of risks and advantages for each country or region. This job would fall to the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission. And then communicate it, tell the story of each, with their assets and needs. But, let’s do it in a participatory way, and share our stories to inspire each other. Let’s take a great look at our successes and our learnings. In order to then be able to cross all this in a more local, more intelligent, resilient and robust mesh.

In the process, let’s do mappings of different industries, different sectors, different supply chains. This is to cut them where possible, to diversify them, and then to cross them – so that the need of one is met by the resource of the other. As in Kalundborg, but on a large scale (http://www.symbiosis.dk/en/). This is close to the idea of ​​the multi-dimensional circular economy but with, in addition, the intersection of ideas, knowledge, networks, common quests to be resolved, commitment, co-entrepreneurship, … this is where it will get really interesting!

The smurfs are adventurers, and go to discover countries and continents, and learn a maximum through meetings and challenges.

A3. Currencies

Single currencies are efficient, fast, but not resilient, very vulnerable. At the slightest shock and in less than a second, the waves cross the whole planet, all budgets. . Monetary resilience may be created by the multiplication of trading systems – complementary and counter-cyclical. When there is not enough of one, we take the other (see https://www.wir.ch/). 

So, in order, to create monetary robustness and resilience, we recommend:

  • Globalize SDR (ACTION 3: Special Drawing Rights) for global and intercontinental transactions – rather than using the dollar, which is still a national currency.
  • The use of continental currencies (Dollar, Euro, ACTION 4: AFRO, …) for international trade in continental single currency, where it does not yet exist (without making the mistakes of others)
  • The creation of national currencies. Yes, let’s give the national banks some work. Dare to strike change. In addition to the euro, the Belgian Franc for example. (ACTION 5)
  • The creation of ACTION 6 city currencies (such as the Bristol Pound, the Lumsou in Namur or the Val’heureux in Liège), enhancing local exchanges in the same city.
  • The creation and/or boosting by recognition (ACTION 7) of local individual-to-individual exchange currencies (SEL, LETS, Time Dollar). There are already thousands of them. Continue, legalize where necessary, and strengthen.

This monetary resilience will offer an antidote to the breakdown of social peace. Because yes, if the citizens are lacking in essentials, they get angry … and take to the streets.

You could call it a “fractal economy”. A fractal economy is made up of a multitude of different economies that are all interconnected and complementary, creating interconnected sources of resilience.

A4. Inspire the citizen with a strong message

To go to war, it’s not just the officers who are going to fight, everyone’s going to have to be involved. Each with the best of himself. With his talents and special gifts. There is no one too humble to participate in building this world of which we dream. On the contrary, humility is a human quality essential for questioning, and therefore for new discoveries, methods and solutions. Sometimes significantly simpler than we imagine. Look at the intelligence in developing countries, how they do so much more with so much less. This is precisely what is of value today: knowing how to manage, together, in joy and good humor. Many citizens have had to work on their own for sometimes generations, while others have fallen asleep in comfort sometimes hard-won. This collective awakening highlights resourcefulness and common sense, family cohesion, group cohesion, creativity and inventiveness, all driven by a desire for “real and human things”.

We have entered an absolutely extraordinary moment in history. Unheard of in human history. No, it’s not a lockdown vacation. At best, a forced freeze frame. On the image of a world going into a spin, destroying human lives, its environment and ultimately also destroying the economic fabric. A compulsory meditation, a fallow of intellectual fertility, a collective retreat. We were able to ask ourselves the right questions. This shock leading to questioning. And this leads to new, more “living” horizons. As in the life of a person who has a serious accident, a break or a sudden career change. And who afterwards, in hindsight, very often say “It was the best thing that could happen to me”.

So let’s take the best of what is happening to us: Questions on

  • Our lifestyles, consumption, functioning.
  • How we use resources and how we represent them.
  • Our way of living as citizens, the quality of our relationships.
  • Our way of living together.
  • Our necessities and our superfluous.
  • Our vision for the future.
  • Our common goal.
  • And, prepare for the next wave of challenges. Because yes, this is the first of the decade, not the last …

ACTION 8: A strong and coherent mobilizing message

Once emergencies have passed, a message must be given to citizens of all sectors, all regions and all statuses combined.

Let us build together the world we want to live in now! We need everyone, all pairs of arms, all talents, regardless of age, education, race or religion, “let’s make system”. If we really all work together, we will be able to build the world in which we dream of living. Let us stop destroying ourselves with fears and doubts – we believe in ourselves. Let’s begin without delay to collaborate and contribute to common challenges.

(media, dedicated press conference, paper,…)

Lets co-innovate, in a Win-Win-Win-Win dynamics (win for you, for the company, for society and multiple stakeholders – and for nature)

And what about growth?

Admittedly, it is essential that we continue to move forward. May we continue to move forward and improve our quality of life. But it is clear that not all of us, with almost 8 billion humans, can afford an ever more luxurious and effortless life. So, what “better” way forward? Towards a better one than we can afford. Towards a better human. Let’s play the game of nature, since we obviously cannot challenge it and develop man’s abilities. Let us develop well-being in order to give free rein to the development of new unexpected human talents. And each identity brings innovation. But for this development to take place, it is essential to provide everyone with a roof over their head, physical, social and mental health, which depends on the quality of relationships, education and a healthy environment. These are the bases to acquire for true human growth. Let’s explore our capabilities and develop them endlessly.

This is what we are proposing: immaterialism .

Yes, infinite growth is possible – and desirable – but this time at intangible, intangible levels: knowledge, new ideas, creativity, collective progress, happiness, sensoriality, relationships and communities of passions and mutual help tribes, … The costs inefficiency and entropy will be compensated by a new commitment, an awakened creativity. But, this will not come by itself… (see rest of the proposed Plan).

Material growth must be capped at a level that allows the earth to regenerate. We must develop our (intangible) ideas to regenerate our material world – or at least stop destroying it.

No longer “protect” our good ideas with patents, but open them to collaborations to enrich and develop them. Because moreover, there are many more good ideas than there are competent entrepreneurs to carry them out. Enhance existing intangible values ​​and put them at the service of the challenges of the territory in question.

Future growth is largely possible, by activating co-innovation, collaboration, collective intelligence. It will solve our very tangible issues on resources, well-being and environment too.

A5. Create and / or strengthen “incubation places”

Invite collectives to come together and co-create in incubation places (existing or to be created, even in each village, town …). Incubators, start-up labs, fablabs, coworkings. Co-piloted by shared public-private-associative governance through co-financing of the activity.

Estimated cost: between 50.000 and 150.000 euros/ city or territory (part of it is co-financed by local companies and citizens)

ACTION 9: Boost existing incubation places into public private projects creating more resilience, with adapted training and entrepreneurial programs (ex. Extrapreneurs)

The Marsupilami defends the meeting place, this nest, in the face of adversity

A6. Create and Operate a “Systemic Economy Transition Center & Taskforce”

ACTION 10: Systemic Economy Transition Excellence Center & Task Force

In a rapidly changing world, we wish to take advantage of the opportunity which presents itself to Belgium to play a full role of initiator, leadership and actor of the necessary changes by using its strategic situation of capital of the European institutions “Brussels” where most of the embassies of large public development cooperation institutions are present, but also International Financial Institutions (IFI) of large environmental NGOs (Greenpeace, WWF Friends of the Earth), but also of international solidarity (Amnesty international CARE, MSF, MDM etc.).

The intention also is to develop over the long term world summits which will bring together the leaders of public international development agencies who have the capacity for a systemic reflection of development, so that a credible Alter-Davos can emerge, and thus promote and give weight and influence to Belgian representatives in international organizations around a new systemic and prospective intelligence.

And most of all, learn from the global best-in-class. No reinventing the wheel, but improving and adapting to local contexts.

Where: 

First location proposal: in Brussels

Why: 

Systemic anticipation will be crucial not to lose time and money, and human casualties because of social unrest following lockdown, and anticipate future shocks.

Systemic challenges need systemic answers. Brussels can be the first excellence knowledge center for systemic solutions, with belgian territory as first showcase economy to apply these collaborative approaches. All implemented solutions will be exportable worldwide. Prepare companies to mutate into agility, in order to be able to face other shocks, and develop more resilience and new business models. Reassure and empower citizens and teams (social peace). Educate in new business models and methods of creating multiple added value. The Covid-19 crisis only accelerates the already existing urgencies of a systemic shift of economy.

EXPECTED OUTPUT:

A. Communication:
  1. Constant and reassuring information about agile solutions (through all social medias and press, radio & TV)
  2. Broad education on systemic collaborative solutions, best practices and testimonies
  3. Mobilisation and bottom-up action
B. Actions and output:
  1. Global knowledge base of systemic solutions, local and global, to multiple historical challenges – environmental, economical and social
  2. Links with and learning from global systemic and complexity management experts 
  3. Links with actors in the field, in systemic business models and complexity management
  4. Links with think tanks that can bring solutions to issues and networks to disseminate solutions
  5. Links with citizens, in order to define the priorities of each, and arrow them towards local co-entrepreneurship (Extrapreneurs)
  6. Publications of articles, manuals and books: press, media, social networks, blogs
  7. Video studio with multilingual Webtv 
  8. Development and distribution of online and face-to-face training
    1. for politics and diplomats
    2. for managers, entrepreneurs and investors
    3. for people in career transition (outplacement etc)
    4. for students of all ages
  9. Cross-sectoral knowledge center, evolution of trades and sectors, facing future challenges
  10. Social, economic and environmental issues: systems approach, planning, anticipation, predictions, risk management (Doughnut Economy 2.0)
  11. Advocacy with governments, EU and UN
  12. Expert conference board
  13. Cross-research between sciences – academic & scientific collaborations for research
  14. Rethink coherent and balanced monetary system and easing, best practices and testing
  15. Events:
    1. annual summit
    2. monthly regional events
    3. online events, keynotes and trainings
  16. For and with City- and regional authorities: 
    1. Bottom-up blueprint for reconstruction and “Vital Functions” fill-in, in urgency, and sustainably on longer term, interconnected with online collaborative platform. Collaborative peer to peer platform for solution development
    2. Online platform for sharing of these practices, organized per function

Estimated cost of the center: 

2 million euros for the first year of scale up of existing “Club of Brussels”. 

The next years progressively auto-financed. 

Budget includes: 

+/- 50 FTE team: experts, task forces, communication team, educational team, conference board, publishing (papers, books, articles, tutorials, manuals).

Rental offices and fixed office costs in Brussels

Publishing costs and video editing – multilingual

Several online events

Yearly event in presencing

Most tools and approaches exist, and only need staff to implement. We are in action mode.

Estimated cost of late action: 

Circa 500 million to 1 Bn€/day for a country the size of Belgium, 

Circa 50 billion€/day for EU.

  • direct and indirect costs of casualties
  • long term damage to economy
  • risk of social unrest

Why it is unique: 

  • Non dogmatic 
  • It will help to create global resilience towards next multiple shocks
  • Gives pragmatic answers to complex problems
  • Systemic and complexity management intelligence vulgarized
  • GLocal answers (Cosmo-Local), creating local intertwined “mangrove” multiple added value economy ecosystems
  • Strong human-centered, regenerative, co-entrepreneurial triple helix philosophy, leveraging and multiplying existing intangible value
  • 15 years of experience on intangibles, systemic models, education & tools building, keynotes & clients in 16 countries, and publishing  
  • Intercontinental network and academic recognition 

A few examples of “glocal scalable” solutions : (+/- 100 examples in Wise Paper 3)

  • Decentralized waste treatment (CO2 impact 80% less)
  • Local production of vegetable juices in bulk
  • Public real estate multifunctional valorisation 
  • Peer-to-peer learning of hard and soft skills (cost -70%)
  • House for post-cancer revalidation (-50% of relapse)
  • House for mental health recovery and community (recidivism -90%)
  • Multiple Family capital management
  • Low cost rental eco-housing building and investment (cost -50%)
  • Impact Business Clubs

Yes, this crazy project which consisted of going to the Moon …

For us, that means bringing together the best of everyone to make it all happen for real.

A7. Reassure, inform, educate

Reassure 

Explain well to the general public what is happening, where we are going, and that the solutions exist as long as we really collaborate, on the ground, to create new resilient economic ecosystems.

ACTION 11: Large public collaborative information and education campaign on paradigm shift 

Inform at transition

Continuous information, open the project box by creating (local) resilience for the vital functions of society.

Continuously and transparently, in order to explain the progress of the agendas for concrete projects, good news in the various media.

Educate in transition

Through communications, online and face-to-face training. Build up the people ready to learn the keys to the so-called “systemic” economic transition (collaborative, circular, social, positive and regenerative …).

Human development management

ACTION 12: Measure what matters really

Bring the human development management methods:

In families

In companies

In communities

In schools and universities

In the various territories

In particular, use alternative indicators such as the “national growth of happiness” method known by the United Nations since the 1970s. Introduced by Bhutan as an alternative to GDP as a measure of a country’s health . Focuses on human well-being and the health of the Earth.

Complexity management

Bring the keys and methods to manage and solve complex issues. all within the framework of a collective intelligence:

Develop a “peace of mind”

Mapping context

Build common intention: the destination

Systemic mapping of challenges

Extract top three with highest leverage

Example of manual:

Club of Brussels –  Wise Paper 2: Guide de la pensée systémique)

Formats
  • Online training
  • Reverse classrooms
  • Experiential learning and action learning
  • Field coalitions – face-to-face and learning tribes
  • P2P learning (peer to peer learning)

ACTION 13: Education programs – (Already ongoing)

A8. Global Crowdsourcing of ideas and projects on the field

Organize the gathering of ideas, projects, existing best practices, local networking of the economy, local or regional ways of responding to the vital functions of society.

There are thousands of blogs, sites and collectives to use as resources

Let’s bring it all together through the selection grid:

local

regenerative, or at least sustainable

people centered and respectful for their growth 

environment

economic

open source

meeting several challenges (= multisolution)

duplicable

linked each time to an opinion leadership center on the subject

Around the dozen “vital functions of society” – or Donut Economy 2.0

(We have started our “Wise Paper 3” with 100 multi-solutions.)

ACTION 14: Crowdsourcing of virtuous ideas for resilience – (ongoing)  

A9. Relative prices

It consists in the integration of negative externalities in the sales price of goods. CO2 impact, social dumping, pollution, etc. It would be a new taxation which will enable financing of sustainable solutions within the borders of the country or continent.

ACTION 15: Implement taxation and relative prices on resources, raw materials, half finished and finished products,  and services

Part B : BOTTOM UP – ramp up from the ground 

B1. B2B leadership groups

  • Create, transfer, or support groups and clubs of leaders (intersectoral, private, associative or public) in order to:
  • reconnecting businesses, associations, political powers, collectives so as to be able to reorganize the economy and society at local, provincial and regional, or even national, level.
  • manage, with the sharing of good practices, emergencies (short-term cash, vital functions of organizations, motivation of troops, etc.)
  • imagine medium-term alliances around projects with social and environmental added value, so as to regenerate economy, build loyalty, increase the attractiveness of each organization and business.
  • rethinking long-term business models
  • cross underutilized resources between them and on the margins
  • bring more consistency in the way of operating and taking part in the economy
  • “Wise Impact Leaders Clubs” (2 pilot groups already underway)
  • share stories of trial and error to inspire others

ACTION 16: Initiate and boost local B2B leaders groups 

B2. Local Co-entrepreneurship local in quintuple helix

Stimulate local co-entrepreneurship coalitions as well as lab startups, incubators, hackathons linked to networks of entrepreneurs, studio entrepreneurs, etc.

But above all, with new methods over time, truly collaborative, open, participative, multi-stakeholder, multi-solution, etc.   This will solidify the social fabric, increase resilience, create jobs adapted to the needs of local territories.

“Ecological, Economic and Social Transition Cooperatives”

Legal status: SC or company

Possible financial support: to do with public authorities

Acceptance conditions:

– systemic multisolution

– triple helix: collaboration between

     1 company actor

     1 public actor

     1 community player / citizen

– ideally, housed in incubation places

ACTION 17: Local Co-entrepreneurship local in quintuple helix (Cfr. A5, Idem Action 9)

Ideally, start quickly 5 or 6 test pilots in different territories, with local players and stakeholders.

In the event of recurrence or other crises, the negative impacts will therefore be considerably reduced.

These labs must be monitored and supervised with an educational framework, both in terms of human development and the skills expected by the market. And this in a peer-to-peer framework, while being linked to knowledge centers, “Clusters 3.0”, themed tribes, opinion leaders in each of the vital functions of society. (e.g.  www.clubofbrussels.org )

Encourage enriching and using peer-to-peer learning platforms.

ACTION 18: Initiate 3.0 globally connected Clusters 

This should be coordinated with European Commission and Committee of the Regions.

  1. Understanding which players, out of which vital functions of society, are entering which other ones with which smart solutions (new entrants)
  2. Mapping and crossing of business and expertises, and detecting beginnings of new solutions
  3. Crossing sciences in between each other to detect new opportunities and areas of research
  4. Detect the best tools to connect globally distributed knowledge, to accelerate learning curves of new solutions
  5. Detect psychological drives to empower new (collaborative) entrepreneurship 
  6. Define a strategy of Clusters 3.0 to empower and accelerate global transversal collaboration anchored in university- and business- cities, with a territorial impact

B3. Territorial transition roadmap for local authorities

We must share pragmatic roadmaps to help local authorities to mutate, pivot, activate local players, reclaim third-places, etc. All this based on real-time experiences from other cities and territories. Past experiences in progress.

It will be articulated around the major socio-economic and environmental axes of the Donut Economy (which we are revisiting live with Kate Raworth for the moment):

ACTION 19: Roadmaps and measuring tools for progress – Convergence with Action 2

B4. “Family Capital” management roadmap

A family approach, based on the different types of “capital”, basic pillars of family / social cohesion, necessary for building the future. As the crisis will have significantly influenced these various “family treasures”, especially tangible capital, the intention here is to enhance intangible, intangible capital, in order to give hope and rebuild citizen solidity. But without forgetting to bring a visionary intelligence to their real estate capital (to make their homes and possible rental units more sustainable and consolidate):

Financial capital (stocks, bonds, cash, precious metals, …)

Health capital (physical, psychological-emotional)

Talent capital (adapted knowledge, expected talents, attitudes and citizenship)

Relationship capital

Real estate capital (their homes to be sustainabilized, rental homes,…)

Resilience and social peace starts in families. In the couple, in relationships with parents and children. If we skip this piece, the company could be wasting precious time and the basics will not be consolidated.

ACTION 20: Family Capital Consolidation Program – (Ongoing)

B5. Personal Development Management Roadmap

Growing in strength as a person requires to be reassured, informed, educated. It cannot be invented or improvised – the flower with a gun … Yes, everyone aspires to be fulfilled, to be happy, but the path to get there can be difficult. Each one being different, each culture and religion proposes ways, but each one will make its “shopping” according to the affinities.

But there are constants, stages, fundamentals, which come up every time. As a result, it is desirable to create outlines, roadmaps and exercises. There are already many people who have made their way, and they agree to put their experiences on the map, in play, in manuals, in roadbooks – in concrete, pragmatic, non-dogmatic ways. This by not only leaving free will and freedom to everyone, leaving him or her independently, but also without taking power or keeping people dependent.

The essence of the intention is really an “empowerment”: empowering everyone, “empowerment”, at the service of his well-being, and the effectiveness of the projects in which he or she participates. It will be a question of bringing together passions, talents, livelihood and service to the common good, as in the culture of “l’Ikigaï” . If you think of life as a flower, then the center represents “ikigai”, or what holds all of our passions, ambitions, talents and needs together. It is by taking responsibility for finding your ikigai that it will be possible to define the identity and values ​​of each business, company, locality, … and create a coherent whole. It will then be possible to align between what humanity wants to do, says to do and actually does.

Known pieces…

This plan simply consists in aligning the known pieces of the puzzle, of existing methods. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Everything is there. All of these are inexpensive and have the side effect of reconnecting people, building confidence, empowering individuals and teams, pragmatically innovating with existing and underutilized resources, and avoiding turmoil social…

The only “new” pieces are the Center of Systemic Excellence and the “Extrapreneurs” co-entrepreneurship (which is in its 5th edition). But the ingredients are already there, and they work.

Most of this is “brain juice” and therefore links existing points.

Glocal

Foster “GLOCAL” knowledge clusters (Cosmo-Local): global knowledge connected to local coalitions of actors on the ground. Boost local resilience communities, which contribute to common goods: alliances between citizens, businesses and local authorities, with contacts with science and optional media. It is a high added value leverage effect to re-mesh the local and regional economy, creating new businesses with multiple added values. This is why the economy can be made resilient in the manner of “mangroves”.

Stories and archetypes

Naturally, people respect values ​​much more than the law. How was it done to keep people locked up during confinement? It’s by educating them much more than threatening them with a fine. Or frightening them – but playing on the emotional, more than the rational. Because that’s how humans work. Human beings are transported by stories, they inspire them and help them to behave, to think, they have a far more important effect than a decreed law, or an imposed vision.

Archetypes allow everyone to hang onto something known, which in their brain “connects dowries”. In this way, the narrative connects to people’s brains by lowering the threshold.

Storytelling also relates to the emotional. If we want a commitment, that the “ready” people get wet to co-build, we must inspire them but while reassuring them, with method, steps, and positive emotions.

Conclusion

We are entering the most interesting period in known Western history. A collective restart, a quantum leap of consciousness, a major global mutation. Many new technologies and knowledge are emerging before our very eyes. And maybe, maybe they will offer new answers to old problems…

You too are part of the solution.

And let’s transform Belgium into a territory of resilience.

This plan simply consists in aligning the known pieces of the puzzle, of existing methods. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Everything is there. All of these are inexpensive and have the side effect of reconnecting people, building confidence, empowering individuals and teams, pragmatically innovating with existing and underused resources, and avoiding social turmoil and disruptions.

Contacts
Michel de Kemmeter : 
michel@wiseholding.net
+32 475 266 555www.clubofbrussels.org 

Publications: Benoit Pitsaer, benoit@wiseholding.net  

Extrapreneurs: Michèle Pasture, michele.pasture@wiseholding.net  

www.extrapreneurs.org 

A few annex publications 

Reference books with systemic transition methodologies:

Academic course on the subject at the business school “Vesalius College VUB”:

Wise Papers:

Coming soon:

  • Wise paper 3b: from the shelf “copy me” templates of multisolutions for local social, economic and environmental resilience
  • Wise Paper 3c: territorial road book to resilience

Basic articles on systemic transition:

https://medium.com/@micheldekemmeter/why-systemics-is-the-next-thing-for-our-economy-post-covid-38ccdc506be0

With special thanks to :

Non exclusive list of our “Wise Circles”, precious allies in innovation, mentors, think tanks and people who participated in our numerous workshops, publications, and Extrapreneurs :

  • Corinne Dumont, Sequoia, business leadership
  • Marie de Cartier, Club of Brussels
  • Benoît Pitsaer, Club of Brussels
  • Carlos Alvarez, president of spanish Chapter of Club of Rome
  • Jacques de Gerlache, Club of Rome, chemistry
  • Roland Moreau, president of Club of Rome – EU Chapter
  • Patrick Corsi, member of CoR-EU Chapter
  • Carlos A. Gonzalez-Carrasco, founder of Human Conductivity Institute, Santiago de Chili
  • Prof. Derrick Gosselin, chairman of the Belgian Nuclear Research Center SCK CEN
  • Prof. Christian Ghymers, Irelac, Macro-economist
  • Hugo Araujo, CEO 7VORTEX , Mexico City
  • Frédéric Meyvaert, entrepreneur
  • Gaëlle Janssens, The Shift, SDGs
  • Philippe Drouillon, Metamorphosis
  • Rowan Gillies, leadership development, London UK
  • Martin Liu, Lid Publishing, editor, London UK
  • Liliana Carrillo, P2P Foundation
  • Cédric Dumonceau, governance
  • Miguel Declercq, Echos Communications
  • Laurie Dufays, WSBI-ESBG
  • Chantal Vander Vorst, neurosciences
  • Michel Bauwens, P2P Foundation, Chang Mai Thailand
  • Marshall Leffertz, Thrive Movement, San Diego USA
  • Cédric Dumonceau, governance
  • Prof. Philippe Dambly, risk and systemics, AXA-LAR
  • Christophe Degauquier, DAP Assurances
  • Luc Dutilleux, president of Cercle Intermills, Malmédy
  • Hortense Albert, student
  • Eric Fabri, University of Oxford
  • Philippe Dambly, HEC Liège
  • Jean-Marc Legrand, TheClubDeal
  • Frédéric Donck, Internet Society, USA
  • Prof. Rudy Aernoudt, senior economist EU
  • Rik Willard, Agentic Group
  • Didier Cartage, ADEB, Confédération Construction
  • Héloïse Leloup, Agence du Numérique
  • Jacques Crahay, Cosucra
  • Piet Vehoeve, Win Winnovation, KULeuven
  • Sven Vankerckhoven, VUB Vesalius College
  • Bart Wuyts, Blenders Turnhout
  • Dominique De Troyer, Prana Coaching
  • Kris Vandervelpen, Flanders Business School
  • Eric Vanden Broele, Graydon NV, Antwerp
  • Arnaud Legrelle, Federgon
  • Serge Fautré, AG Real Estate, Brussels
  • Sefik Birkiye, Architectura
  • Hein Dirix, Tractebel
  • Etienne Davignon, Engie
  • Joan Condyts, LN24
  • Serge Quadbach, L’Echo
  • Baudouin le Hardy de Beaulieu, INBW
  • Jean-Louis Bogaerts, Partena 
  • Vincent Dussaiwoir
  • François Schwennicke, Maroquinerie Delvaux
  • Laurent Brihay, Press Club
  • Paul Grosjean, Lobby
  • Francis Blake, Derbigum
  • Mohcine Jazouli, Moroccan government
  • Zakaria Fahim, BDO Morocco
  • Jacques Despretz, APM Lille
  • Bea Hackula, Women for Africa, Capetown
  • Raza Jafar, Dubai UAE
  • Olivier Muschiete, Kinshasa RDC
  • Mohamed Dalla, Tunis
  • Marie-Louise Anson, Sion CH
  • Mark Eyskens, Minister of State
  • Etienne de Callatay, economist
  • Bertrand Badré, Blue Orange Capital, New York USA
  • Howard Gutman, former ambassador, New York USA
  • Marc Vossen, NRJ Nostalgie
  • and numerous other great people who added value to our work

And our late friends and mentors :

  • Marc Van Gastel FIT , Mike Anson Leading Technologies, Bernard Lietaer, Philippe Maystadt, and Eddy Deflandre INBW, Prof. Philippe de Woot, UCLouvain

Recap of proposed ACTIONS:

ACTION 1: Project on mapping global wisdom on wise attitudes and teachings 

ACTION 2: We must draw up a balance sheet of risks and advantages for each country or region. 

ACTION 3: Special Drawing Rights

ACTION 4: Continental Currency for Africa – AFRO

ACTION 5: National currencies, ex. belgian franc

ACTION 6: Allow and boost City currencies 

ACTION 7: Allow, recognize and boosty local individual-to-individual exchange currencies (SEL, LETS, Time Dollar)

ACTION 8: A strong and coherent mobilizing message

ACTION 9: Boost existing incubation places into public private projects creating more resilience, with adapted training and entrepreneurial programs (ex. Extrapreneurs)

ACTION 10: Systemic Economy Transition Excellence Center & Task Force (has started)

ACTION 11: Large public collaborative information and education campaign on paradigm shift 

ACTION 12: Measure what matters really

ACTION 13: Education programs – (ongoing)

ACTION 14: Crowdsourcing of virtuous ideas for resilience – (ongoing)  

ACTION 15: Implement taxation and relative prices on resources, raw materials, half finished and finished products,  and services

ACTION 16: Initiate and boost local B2B leaders groups 

ACTION 17: Local Co-entrepreneurship local in quintuple helix (Cfr. A5, Action 9)

ACTION 18: Initiate 3.0 globally connected Clusters 

ACTION 19: Roadmaps and measuring tools for progress – (Doughnut, Convergence with Action 2)

ACTION 20: Family Capital Consolidation Program – (Ongoing)

« Nos amis personnages de BD à la rescousse de l’économie post-covid » : Les 7 clés de l’économie Systémique

Le chemin d’excellence, de réalisation de soi, n’est pas un chemin de perfection. N’ayons plus de culpabilité de ne pas tout comprendre, tout maîtriser. L’excellence est composée des qualités humaines, de courage et d’actions concrètes. 

Gérer la complexité peut se faire pas à pas, se frayant un chemin tout en marchant. Aussi, on peut s’arrêter à chacune des 7 étapes de cet article. Chaque étape invitant à une action concrète, un “home-work”, une mission. C’est en quelque sorte un jeu de piste. 

Donc, ce “vertige “expérimenté face à la multiplicité des enjeux et acteurs – comme ces centaines de romains qui attaquent les gaulois démunis – est normal, mais sera compensé par une approche méthodique qui rassurera à chaque marche. 

Ici, la nouveauté est de nous approprier les clés de la gestion de la complexité et des liens en 7 étapes de profondeur, afin de faciliter cette compréhension. Cette explication par étapes permet de “casser” l’approche théories de la systémique “traditionnelle” : difficile à comprendre, contemplative, accessible qu’aux érudits. 

Les deux grands avantages sont:

– Que vous pouvez vous arrêter à n’importe quelle étape, et déjà vous apporterez une énorme plus value sans devoir nécessairement aller jusqu’au bout.

– A chaque étape, vous êtes dans l’action : une action concrète à réaliser vous sera demandée. Vous en verrez les résultats et impacts assez rapidement.

Étape 1 : Multisolutions 

Chaque personne, projet, entreprise, ville, devrait contribuer à relever de multiples défis présents et à venir.

Pourquoi ? Parce que comme ça, nous augmentons arithmétiquement l’écosystème de solutions répondant aux enjeux sociétaux.

Action requise: Construire et cartographier votre valeur ajoutée multiple sur les défis mondiaux (ODD, défis sociaux et environnementaux locaux et globaux).

Effet secondaire pour vous: En mettant cela en évidence, vous allez être beaucoup plus attractifs pour vos parties prenantes, elles seront poussées à partager avec vous leurs ressources précieuses… donc vous bénéficierez d’aides inattendues. L’effet multiplicateur sera colossal, rapide, inspirant et contagieux. Les personnes, business et acteurs qui fonctionnent “à l’ancienne”, donc ceux dont l’égo et avantages dominent, seront vite hors-jeu, et n’attireront que plus difficilement jeunes talents, alliés et clients.

Et si vous ne voulez pas: Soit, restez monosolution – au mieux – mais un moment vous serez dépassés. Has been. On vous sourira gentiment bientôt… hm… peut être va-t-il falloir changer de métier ? 

Exemple: eco-habitat en bois, construit par entreprise locale, autonome en énergie, locatif à prix abordable, zéro déchets (traités sur place), avec jardins permaculture, intergénérationnels, récupérant eaux de pluie, …

Léonard est la personne qui pense à tout, et a toujours un coup d’avance.

Étape 2 : Multivaleurs

La valeur n’est pas seulement de l’argent, mais se trouve à plusieurs niveaux, il y a 7 bilans à faire. Les opportunités sont également multiples et visibles. 

Comme par exemple, les nouvelles idées créatives. Ou encore: savoir qu’on ne sait pas – et chiffrer cela. Ou encore : la valeur de la réputation, des réseaux, des missions de l’entreprise, …

Pourquoi ?

Cette façon de mesurer la valeur déplace notre intention d’accumuler de l’argent vers la mesure des besoins, des multiples ressources et valeurs ajoutées, créant ainsi plus de possibilités de synergies et attractivités. En plus, elle cartographie les étapes qui précèdent la création de valeur financière, dans l’ordre et de façon méthodique et pragmatique, chiffrée.

Action requise: Cartographier vos bilans multiples de valeur en 7D. Ensuite ceux de vos principales parties prenantes. (1) Bien commun, (2) connaissances, (3) communication et communautés, (4) émotionnel, (5) processus, (6) financier et finalement le (7) bilan de nos impacts sur la terre.

 Comme Achille Talon, apprenons à mesurer ce qui est réellement important – cela nous permet dans la foulée de détecter les opportunités, besoins, et ressources cachées.

Et si vous ne voulez pas: Soit, ce n’est que l’argent qui compte pour vous ? Vous allez non seulement devenir ennuyeux pour les autres, vénal, et passer à côté de la magie de la vie et de l’origine de la vraie valeur – celle qui crée une réelle abondance. Faire de l’argent demain ne se fera plus de la même façon…

Exemple: Une activité en économie sociale et collaborative comme “Les Petits Riens” qui crée des valeurs de connaissances et valeurs d’apprentissages métier, des valeurs de communautés d’entraide, de l’inclusion, du recyclage et valorisation tangible, des habitats pour exclus, etc. 

Étape 3 : Multiressources

A la façon des Chevalier de la Table ronde, l’idée des multiressources est une coalition d’acteurs qui décident de se mettre ensemble – chacun avec ses ressources uniques – pour servir une noble quête. 

Détectez et activez les ressources sous-utilisées dans votre écosystème de parties prenantes, développez une intelligence collaborative qui permet la mise en lien de ces ressources sous-utilisées. 

Pourquoi ? 

Pour faire plus efficace et moins cher. La meilleure utilisation des ressources comme la connaissance, les réseaux, les machines, l’espace-temps, personnes et talents, argent, … est beaucoup plus efficace, plus rapide, moins risqué et moins chère.

Action requise: Cartographiez les ressources clés dont vous avez besoin dans votre carte d’écosystème de parties prenantes. Allez à la rencontre de ces acteurs, et développez des alliances. 

Et si vous ne voulez pas: Soit, mais vous allez passer à côté d’opportunités de faire plus avec moins, et donc plus efficace et à moindre coût pour la planète et pour votre portefeuille. Dommage.

Exemple: Une “spin-off” d’université: connaissances scientifiques, dans un bâtiment d’une intercommunale, avec la machinerie d’un sous-traitant, l’énergie entrepreneuriale d’une équipe de jeunes startups, l’argent d’un VC, les réseau de communautés d’étudiants pour la distribution,… et le modèle étant scalable, il peut être dupliqué dans d’autres villes universitaires.

Étape 4 : Multitalents, multipassions et excellences 

A la façon de l’inspecteur gadget qui a plus d’un outil dans son chapeau, vous aussi avez des passions, de talents, des dons. Ceci, tant en tant qu’individu, entreprise ou territoire, même si vous les avez un peu oubliés. Chacun doit chercher et trouver, puis combiner ses passions, talents, dons – dans le cœur de ce qu’il est et ensuite de ce qu’il fait  – en ce quelque-chose de magique qui fera de lui cet inspecteur unique. 

Pourquoi ?

Il combinera le meilleur de chacun dans des propositions de valeur et identité uniques, sortant ainsi de la “masse grise” et océan rouge de la concurrence.

Action requise: 

Détectez et expliquez le véritable noyau : le cœur de votre talent, passion, votre différence unique et combinez-les au centre de l’ADN de votre proposition de valeur. Ceci, en tant qu’individu, entreprise ou territoire. 

Et si vous ne voulez pas: Soit. Vous voulez continuer à faire des choses qui vous ennuyaient, pour lesquelles vous n’êtes pas vraiment faits ? Pour combien de temps ? Ben alors bonne chance…

Exemple: Steve Jobs, sa passion combinée du design et de l’informatique est à la base de la plus grande entreprise du monde. L’architecte-philosophe, le cuisinier-guérisseur, le médecin shamane fleuriste, le professeur metteur en scène, le violoniste acupuncteur…   Absolument tous “sortent du lot” dans leur métiers, et cartonnent. Quelles sont vos “combinaisons gagnantes” ?

Étape 5 : Communautés de résilience

C’est dans un village comme celui du village d’irréductibles d’Astérix et Obélix que vous serez en sécurité, vous permettant de co-construire demain. Ensemble, en collaboration. Et de temps en temps, oui, il y aura des grosses bagarres mais c’est normal !

Le véritable changement de paradigme partira des communautés, des clusters, groupes, des collectifs et organisations, connectés aux mêmes valeurs, visions, cohérence, autour de propositions de valeurs uniques. Ils «diffusent» cette valeur unique, attirent plus de gens et inspirent du coup d’autres communautés.

Pourquoi ? 

Le vrai changement ne se produit que par des personnes qui ont profondément choisi le changement, dans des communautés fortes. Astérix et Obélix, et tous leurs villageois ne se laisseront jamais prendre par les romains. JAMAIS. Le changement ne peut pas être imposé. La peur et la dépendance ne sont pas une bonne énergie pour le changement. La solidarité l’autonomie le sont.

Action requise: Construisez et développez votre tribu, votre communauté, votre groupe et connectez-le à d’autres tribus similaires et au reste du monde.

Et si vous ne voulez pas: Soit, vous voulez tout faire tout seul ? Oups. Non mais, vraiment ? Juste pour caresser votre égo ? Et vous pensez vraiment que tout seul vous serez en sécurité, et allez pouvoir progresser pour de vrai – plus vite que les autres ? Pfffff. 

Exemple: Villes en Transition, cercles de connaissances, business clubs, villages autonomes,…

Étape 6 : Actions multifocus

Après avoir exploré le plus de liens possibles entre votre sujet et son contexte – au sens large – créez votre package d’actions multiples, “multifocus” qui feront mouche à plusieurs niveaux d’impacts. 

C’est l’intelligence de l’analyse de toutes les connexions de votre question ou sujet, avec toutes les autres dimensions.  En prenant ensuite du recul, il y a moyen de créer une valeur ajoutée multidimensionnelle vraiment smart pour tous les acteurs dans votre entourage.

Pourquoi ? 

Chaque sujet est connecté à un écosystème d’autres sujets.

Être conscient de ces connexions améliorera la qualité des décisions, et la puissance de votre impact, et donc finalement de votre attractivité en tant qu’acteur de terrain. Ensuite, une multiplicité de déclinaisons d’impacts, de produits-services, vous permet de valoriser votre excellence avec des marges différentes et donc au final de mieux gagner votre vie et/ou d’augmenter votre impact global.

Action requise: Cartographier les connexions, comprendre la force de ces liens, et construire plusieurs actions à valeur ajoutée, multifocus.  

Et si vous ne voulez pas: Soit. Restez limité. C’est sous-utiliser votre potentiel. 

Jérome k Jérome Bloche, ou l’art de pouvoir se concentrer sur plusieurs chose à la fois – dans la joie et la bonne humeur !

Exemple: La microfinance en Inde. Chaque semaine, 4 millions de femmes se réunissent pour décider qui recevra les recettes des petits groupes. Lien social, entrepreneuriat et jobs, inclusion, financements, recyclage, artisanat locale, etc. Une initiative qui a des impacts multiples systémiques.

Étape 7 : Reconnexion épanouissante

Le noyau des 7 clés, c’est votre reconnexion à la terre-mère, à votre raison d’être sur cette planète. Et… l’occasion de rayonner à fond qui vous êtes, dans la joie et la bonne humeur.

Cette reconnexion cohérente avec votre corps, votre coeur, mais également au niveau des jobs, le cœur de métier, la terre et ses ressources, (en dessous du 7D-Value), et avec bien commun et vision de progrès (en haut du 7D-Value).

Pourquoi ? 

Nous ne pouvons pas construire l’avenir avec la peurs et incohérences, tristesses et névroses, croyances limitantes, dogmes et traumatismes, mais uniquement avec un leadership personnel et collectif solide. Cela passe par une reconnexion, des guérisons et nettoyages, déconditionnements et lâcher-prises. 

Action requise: Débarrassez-vous des incohérences, des peurs, des limites, et devenez libre de réaliser et de manifester le meilleur – porté par l’autonomie, l’amour et l’abondance au lieu de la dépendance, des peurs et de la rareté.

Et si vous ne voulez pas: Soit. Restez triste et terne. Ce sera votre choix de vie. Dommage pour le gaspillage (haha – en plus ça rime 🙂 )

Qui de mieux que notre ami Gaston pour représenter la reconnexion à la nature.

Exemple: La montée en puissance des thérapies alternatives, coachings et développement personnels. Cela illustre un besoin généralisé de développement de soi, et de guérisons émotionnelles, de libération d’anciens traumas et blessures personnelles menant à plus de résilience psychologique. 

C’est en suivant ces 7 étapes que vous vous mettrez en mouvement, sans ce sentiment d’impuissance, quel que soit le niveau où vous êtes – parce que la responsabilité se trouve dans les mains de chacun. Vous l’aurez récupéré. Si vous mettez “la faute chez l’autre ou faute à malchance” alors vous mettez votre capacité d’agir dans les mains de quelqu’un d’autre… Ce “quelqu’un d’autre” reviendra avec sa facture à un moment. Il y aura un prix à payer ! 

Donc, le chemin vers l’autonomie est salutaire mais demande un choix inconditionnel: d’y aller. 

A chacun de décider.

Vous aussi, venez et écrivez l’histoire avec nous. C’est un énorme jeu de société. Chacun a ses dés, ses atouts, ses pions, ses plaquettes, ses cartes. 

Le chemin est là, l’invitation aussi.

Rendez-vous dans le prochain article sur le plan de transition systémique …

Michel de Kemmeter
Joel Schöpfer

« Nos amis personnages de BD à la rescousse de l’économie post-covid » 1 : Nos personnages BD préférés viennent à la rescousse

Qui peut nous sauver ?

Chacun se souvient de la chansonnette :
“Zorro est arrivvééé-ééé-ééééé, sans s’presséééé-éééé-ééééé”
…Mais, qui sera notre Zorro ?
Grand patron de banques centrales ?  Le patron de la planche à billets ?
Un vaccin magique ?
Ou encore – pour certains – le Superman ?
Tant qu’on y est hein, on a merdé, que le Superman revienne donc pour arranger les bidons d’un coup de baguette magique…
Non, c’est un peu court.

Non, ce sera Zorro.
Et Zorro, c’est toi, c’est moi…
C’est lui qui apportera les bonnes solutions.
Si chacun de nous fait l’effort de se réaliser, nous aurons un réelle armée de “justes”.Zorro n’a en fait rien à gagner à jouer le justicier, si ce n’est sa puissance de décision et autonomie, ses valeurs, son honneur. Un profond sentiment d’appartenance.
Tout ce que notamment le “système européen” ne nous a pas apporté.
Ce cavalier qui surgit hors de la nuit, c’est chacun de nous. Chacun qui aura courageusement répondu à cet appel.

N’est-ce pas une question que d’argent ?

Et non, il ne s’agira pas simplement d’injecter 40 ou 50 milliards dans l’économie. Non, car ce choc nous a touché dans de nombreux aspects de nos vies.
C’est la recette ancienne comme en 2009, comme on on a rien d’autre de mieux. Mais là ça va fonctionner beaucoup moins bien – car on aura pas revisité toutes ces autres dimensions.

Quels aspects sont touchés directement ? 

  • Santé physique : mise en perspective de notre système de soins, préventif et curatif. 
  • Santé émotionnelle et mentale: Une fois sortis du lockdown, comment faire pour ne pas devenir fous ? Notre impuissance face à toutes ces incohérences dont nous sommes témoin, le stress, les peurs – et notre incapacité d’agir.
  • Education : quelles sont les compétences absolument essentielles pour l’avenir? Et quelles méthodes de formation ? 
  • Travail: rythme, sens, vision, organisation, bullshit ou pas ? En fait, c’est quoi les jobs de demain ? Les vrais ? Le mien ? Comment on va l’organiser de façon vertueuse ? 
  • Famille: valeurs, relations, projets, affectif, fake ou non ?  
  • Consommation: nécessaire ou pas, destructeur ou régénérateur, stop ou encore ?   
  • Loisirs: ressourcant ou pas, regénérateur ou leurre ?   
  • Politique et citoyenneté: démocratie, données personnelles, participation aux décisions politiques, niveaux de pouvoir ? Et qu’en est-il de la représentativité ? Comment passer d’un ruissellement par élections à l’émanation par la participation responsable ?
  • Technologie: pour le meilleur ou pour le pire ? Et où se trouve la ligne de démarcation, de décision, de rupture dépassant le point d’équilibre menant la catastrophe ?
  • Environnement: le lockdown provoque un assainissement rapide, mais une fois stoppé, veut-on que cela recommence – mais en pire ?  
  • Nutrition: on fait quoi si les chaînes de fournisseurs se cassent ?  
  • Liens sociaux: comment communique-t’on ? Pourquoi faire ? Avec qui ? On parle de quoi ? Sur qui puis-je vraiment compter ? 
  • Art, sport et culture: on fait quoi dans le monde sans toutes ces merveilles ?  
  • Investir: en quoi faut-il investir finalement si tout se plante ?   

Et nous pouvons traverser les autres aspects un par un en se posant le même genre de questions…

Qui a la solution – ou tout au moins un début de réponse ?

Il va falloir, idéalement, un panel de sages. De vrais sages. Comme les druides qui viennent partager leurs meilleures pratiques, appelons-les à la rescousse.

Mais Seigneur, où sont-ils ?
Ils ont toujours été là, mais nous ne les avons pas vraiment écouté. Ce sont les sages, les indiens, les aborigènes, les chamans, les spirituels, les marabouts, les moines,… Leurs témoignages sont là, partout, même sur internet et youtube. Allez les chercher, mettez-les à la queue-leu-leu, et vous verrez qu’ils disent pratiquement tous la même chose.

Tous ces sages, malgré les apparences, sont au coeur même du système humain, et non pas en marge. Mentors, spirituels, leaders éclairés, des gens parfois très simples mais avec une profondeur de regard et compréhension. Ils sont trop souvent sous les radars. Et d’ailleurs, chacun de nous a la possibilité de devenir ce sage. Le piège de la démocratie c’est la foule, et non pas l’individu et sa puissance.

Depuis toujours. Nous n’en avons fait qu’à notre tête comme des ados, comme l’élève Ducobu qui s’acharne dans ses bêtises.

Mais c’est pas grâve, après la crise d’ado arrive la maturité.. et tout va très vite. 

Tout le monde parle de systémique, c’est un truc compliqué, non ?

Il va un moment falloir accepter que pour pouvoir gérer les enjeux, les crises systémiques – car un problème provoque un autre – nous allons devoir nous approprier les clés de base des solutions systémiques. 
Oups, systémique, c’est quoi?Un truc où tout est relié à tout… Comme une toile d’araignée ?
Ouaip.
Et comment on s’en sort ?
Ensemble ! En “intelligence collective”.
Comme les schtroumpfs.
Chacun avec sa spécialité, sa perspective, son identité unique et différente, son angle, ses talents. 
Humblement, sans se la jouer au plus malin.
Nous aurons réellement besoin de chacun !

Les solutions systémiques sont, en bref:

  • Multisolutions: chaque chose que vous faites doit servir plusieurs enjeux à la fois
  • Multivaleurs: la valeur c’est pas que l’argent, mais il y a 7 bilans à faire. Bien commun, connaissances, communication et communautés, émotionnel, processus, financier et finalement le bilan de nos actions sur la terre
  • Multiressources: il fait développer une intelligence collaborative qui permet la mise en lien de ressources sous-utilisées. Pour faire plus efficace et moins cher.
  • Multipassions et multitalents: chacun doit chercher et trouver, puis combiner ses passions, talents – dans le coeur de ce qu’il est et ensuite de ce qu’il fait  – en ce quelque-chose de magique qui fera de lui ce héros unique. 
  • Communautés résilientes : créez votre tribu d’apprentissage et connectez-vous à une communauté existante.
  • Actions multifocus : après avoir plongé dans tous les liens entre votre sujet et le contexte, créez vos actions multiples, qui feront mouche à plusieurs niveaux
  • Reconnexion épanouissante : le coeur du truc, votre reconnexion à la terre-même, et à votre raison d’être sur cette planète. Et… rayonnez à fond qui vous êtes, dans la joie et la bonne humeur.

Il sortira deux types de personnes de ce lockdown

  1. Ceux qui auront fait le choix de leur propre vérité. Et qui arrêteront de faire ce que d’autres veulent pour lui. Celui qui suit sa propre voie et courageusement part à l’aventure de la découverte de lui-même, du monde, et de participer à cet énorme chantier de reconstruction du monde.
    et
  2. Ceux qui préfèrent rester dépendants, par peur et manque de confiance en eux, d’un discours faussement rassurant mais avec une belle “story”. Les entreprises et gouvernements qui font de la peur leurs commerce, les récupéreront.

Peu de place pour le gris, l’entre-deux. Ce sera vraiment stop ou encore… la stagnation dans les peu certitudes soi-disant rassurantes qui nous échapperont une à une, ou l’aventure d’avancer en vrai vers ce quelque-chose qu’on sent mais qui doit encore se co-construire chemin faisant.
Le ralentissement nous aura obligé à nous poser des bonnes questions, la cohérence personnelle émergente, les tripes et le coeur qui peuvent enfin parler, durdur de “revenir en arrière”.

Jommeke a toujours été prêt à l’aventure, pour aider, servir, sauver, découvrir, avec courage simplicité et curiosité. Même pas peur.
A nous aussi maintenant.

Une posture cohérente, à quoi ça sert ?

L’incohérence sera beaucoup plus frappante, le stress insupportable, les vraies valeurs nous appelant de plus en plus fort.

Le défi sera de canaliser les énergies, velléités et intentions, de façon cohérente. Tous vers la même direction d’un monde meilleur. Ceci au risque de perdre de nombreuses personnes en route. Clairement, il va falloir “faire avec” et non pas “se battre contre”. Une seule clé suprême: l’humilité. Savoir qu’on ne sait pas, uniquement que le chemin se fera tout en marchant, ensemble. 

Le petit poucet dans son combat contre l’ogre, laisse des petits cailloux blancs derrière lui. C’est pour se rappeler d’où il vient. Il est prévoyant et il a su utiliser les ressources à sa disposition pour se sortir de sa situation. Il a su utiliser la ruse pour déjouer l’appétit meurtrier de l’ogre. Avec un désir de vengeance, l’ogre utilisa ses bottes de sept lieux pour courir après les enfants afin de les manger. Lorsqu’il fut endormi, le petit poucet utilisa cet outil magique pour aller chercher l’or dans la maison de l’ogre. Il est futé et il est capable d’utiliser les outils pour le bien de sa famille, lorsque d’autres les utilisent pour leur avidité. 

L’ampleur des enjeux

Les enjeux qui s’annoncent sont forts et nombreux. Il y a toujours eu des changements, certes, mais à ce point non. Une vingtaine d’enjeux vont venir converger en 10 à 15 ans: financiers, environnementaux, sociaux, technologiques, énergétiques, humains, … Tout calculé mis bout à bout la facture excède les 9 trilliards uniquement pour la Belgique, avec les méthodes “anciennes”.

Les gérer un à un ne sera pas possible. Ils sont trop nombreux, et arrivent trop vite l’un après l’autre. Et comme nous sommes encore trop individualistes, nous ne sommes pas encore très bien organisés face à tous ces ennemis. Il y a même des gens qui ne savent pas qu’ils sont déjà sur notre terrain… devant nos yeux.

Comme une armée qui attaque en surnombre – seul un super héros est capable de les maîtriser tous à la fois. Ou encore, c’est possible de les maîtriser, mais alors tous ensemble, en intelligence collective. Et en connaissance de cause – il faut connaître ses ennemis, comprendre ces enjeux. Et… être plus malin qu’eux… comme Astérix et Obélix. Sans oublier Idéfix !

Et… dans la joie et la bonne humeur. Tant qu’à faire. La peur et le stress sont de très mauvais conseillers.Si chacun amène son couteau suisse, ses multisolutions, alors ensemble nous aurons un écosystème de millions de solutions – et nous pourrons accélérer la co-construction de ce monde dont nous rêvons finalement tous.

A vos armes !

Mais en fait, il nous manque des outils de transition. Oups. Pas possible de partir sans s’armer. On ne ferait vraiment pas long feu… Car nos cerveaux sont très bien préparés pour répondre de façon automatique aux stimuli d’un monde structuré, mais tellement peu préparés à rebondir de façon agile, s’adapter suite à un choc, se réinventer suite à des remise en questions. Nous devons réveiller nos cerveaux créatifs. Individuellement et collectivement. Car nous sommes collectivement hypnotisés par dogmes, structures, croyances, et en plus, galvanisés par les peurs. 
Ces outils de transition existent pourtant déjà. Grâce à notre ami Inspecteur Gadget et ses couteaux suisses et divers outils !

Uhhh… mais quelles qualités avoir pour réussir ?

Après avoir mis ensemble travaux de systémiciens, neurosciences, psychologie, comme notamment Fradin, Cyrulnik, Taleb, Morin, Kübler-Ross, il en ressort que nous sommes invités à développer certaines qualités, afin de ne pas être pris au dépourvu.

Mesurer ce qui importe vraiment, les vraies valeurs tangibles et intangibles, comme Achille Talon, plutôt que de ne se braquer que sur l’argent.

La curiosité au lieu d’être routinier, comme Tintin face à ses rencontres improbables.

L’acceptation des situations (au lieu d’être rigide et aveugle), comme Lucky Luke au coeur de ses aventures. Sans chipoter ni pleurnicher. Nous sommes tous dans le même bateau.

La nuance au lieu du simplisme, comme Blake et Mortimer face à une énigme.

La relativité s’opposant au sentiment d’évidence, comme Le Chat face à ses observations.

La réflexion logique face à l’empirisme, comme Astérix face à ses défis énormes posés par l’armée romaine.

L’opinion personnelle s’opposant à l’image sociale, comme Titeuf qui ne prend rien pour argent comptant. 

Le courage au lieu de la peur, comme Jommeke qui part à l’aventure pour sauver ses amis face au méchant Anatole.

L’humilité au lieu de l’orgueil, comme Bécassine:

L’empathie au lieu de l’égoïsme, comme Le Psy:

La débrouillardise, comme la patrouille des castors, au lieu de la paresse:

Servir d’abord le bien commun comme le Grand Schtroumpf, plutôt que son égo:

Chercher justesse et cohérence comme Alix, plutôt que de se sortir d’affaire en magouillant ou en baratinant.

Combiner ingéniosité, expérimentation directe et recherches scientifiques transversales comme Gaston, plutôt que de rester dans un silo unique.

Conclusions

Notre vision de l’après, en termes d’économie et de société, sachant ce qui s’annonce sur 10-15 ans, est une économie bien maillée localement, connectée avec le meilleur en termes de pratiques et de l’état de l’art, globalement – à travers communautés d’intérêt – des “Clusters 3.0” – des “Pôles de Connaissances” en quelque sorte. Localement car, à la façon des mangroves, ces économies sont nettement plus résilientes, solides et résistantes, robustes sans rigidité, que des économies de hier, avec chaînes de valeur mondiales très vulnérables. 

Des liens divers, faisant circuler la vie et la valeur, comme racines et lianes relient tout le vivant dans la jungle Palombie, du Marsupilami.

Donc, comme les mangroves qui protègent les berges, écosystèmes et villages attenants, les économies systémiques “glocales” (un combiné intelligent de Global-et-Local) protègent les gens et les organisations contre les chocs successifs des prochaines décennies, autant que sont des îlots de résilience qui permettent de progresser en apprentissages humaines et collectifs, en multisolutions systémiques business, en conscience collective (face à un “empire romain” qui essayera de conquérir pour asservir et détruire la culture locale).

C’est par le lien, par l’acte organisé en communautés… et donc c’est alors que nous pourrons créer l’irréductibilité comme le village d’Astérix et Obelix, et résister contre cet Empire Romain qui veut tout controler – sauf que Rome est tombée depuis 2000 ans, et que l’enjeu ici est de résister contre la peur, la haine, la solitude, le désespoir. Car ce sont ceux-ci à présent ravagent les coeurs et les campagnes. Mieux encore, la transformer en énergie créative, en action collective, en innovation, en joie et bonne humeur. Même si parfois on peut avoir peur hein… C’est parfaitement normal. C’est l’humilité de dire “je ne sais pas”, et la solidarité, cette certitude que nous ne sommes pas seuls, qui nous permettra de la traverser.

Le “Plan S” de Club of Brussels servira à cette cause: co-construire ces “îlots de résilience”. 
Suite au prochain article…

Michel de Kemmeter
Vincent Dussaiwoir

« Nos amis personnages de BD à la rescousse de l’économie post-covid » 0 : L’appel à l’aventure

Nous nous sommes posés les “bonnes questions” pendant notre pause obligatoire, notre retraite forcée chez nous, ce confinement historique, cette jachère fertile… Des milliers de collectifs de personnes volontaires et solidaires sont entrain de se former pour “ne pas tomber dans les anciens pièges” – pour “faire autrement”. 
Mais, vers quoi, et surtout, comment ???

C’est là que nous avions eu l’idée de demander à nos héros préférés, nos personnages de BD de notre enfance !
Et, devinez quoi ???
Ils ont TOUS répondu “Présent” !
Nous voilà rassurés.

Du coup, ils nous demandent à NOUS de nous joindre à eux pour cette expédition fabuleuse pour construire le monde de demain. Tous ensemble.
Ils nous rassurent qu’il n’y a personne de trop humble que pour venir avec nous. Chacun amène ce quelque-chose d’unique qui lui correspond: ses talents, ses dons, ses mains, son coeur, sa curiosité. Chacun dans sa capacité d’agir, pour venir en aide à ceux qui veulent vraiment transformer notre monde.
Nos héros de BD ont tout le temps été à l’aventure pour aider leurs amis, ou aider les autres tout simplement, sans peurs et avec toute leur simplicité et courage.
Allons nous aussi, cette fois, donner la main à ceux qui veulent eux aussi amener le meilleur d’eux mêmes. Ensemble nous sommes tellements plus forts face à cet ennemi qui n’est cette fois ni l’empire romain, ni Gargamel, ni Anatole ou Rastapopoulos, mais nos peurs, nos égos et nos hypnotismes à tous.
Les “je sais déjà” se transformeront en “Mais comme c’est intéressant”, et les “j’y crois plus” en “allons-y” !
Une fois traversés, nous pourrons, à partir de bases saines, construire un monde dont nous serons émus et heureux. Sans exclure personne, en pleine solidarité ouverte et libre.

Les grosses émotions passées, maintenant à l’action !

Rendez-vous dans le prochain article…

Wise Circles 4: Lessons learned in other crises

The last global financial crisis of 2008-09 shows clearly how we lost a historical opportunity of coherent reforms because, once the authorities believed that the economy was running again, they all abandoned their commitments to remedy the systemic causes of the crisis. Intellectual laziness or incompetence? This time, the health crisis and the new global financial crisis which arrives like a tsunami, provide another historical opportunity we cannot miss. The present situation is naturally more pro-change-oriented for two reasons: on the health side, the crisis is both global and individual. Nobody can escape – and fear already makes people change and open their minds. On the macro-financial side, the fragilities accumulated by the insufficient reforms, the lack of national budgetary and monetary rooms for maneuver, and the accelerating climatic changes, make inescapable the worst global financial crisis of all times, and therefore a return to “business-as-usual” behavior led by the “rent-seekers” should become much harder. Meeting such challenges will oblige policymakers to adopt more systemic reforms for overcoming the inefficiency of old recipes. But are they prepared for this? No. There is at least one missing piece: the capacity of managing complex challenges. This is where systemic sciences come in.

Our case

The absolute urgency is not only to “save the system”, but to prepare people, companies, and political leaders for higher resilience. Nor to “come back” every time to the norm of the past, or to break existing forms, but to adapt to evolutive norms as life behaves, in a “trial-and-error-process”, learning from shocks pointing out incoherences. Every upcoming crisis (they are imminent and multiple) will break incoherent and inefficient systems to pieces. Step by step. Whether we want it or not. It is called “entropy”, systemic inefficiency and inner chaos, which could only be tackled through better organization by cleaning our customs and behaviors. As the ocean is overheating, it spontaneously creates hurricanes. We are in the middle of one of them. This is what evolution and history teach us: progress means systemic changes. In nature, species, in our companies, in our state administrations, justice, even in our own lives. Unstandable chaos and torment popping out of an overheated system. But we will have had a few weeks to slow down and line up priorities. Will we be willing enough and have enough energy to boost twice as much after lockdown? And take high pressure shit-jobs and exhausting rhythms again? Check it out. Lets talk again in september… The citizens, and their heroic postures, will be our biggest allies. After every major ordeal, emerge major societal shifts. Maybe this is the time for collective intention of mutating a destructive chaotic model into a regenerative one. And guess what, a large proportion of the citizens are literally waiting for a strong signal to do so – to bring the best of their talent to facilitate that mutation.
“There are no cheap tickets to mastery. You have to work hard at it, whether that means rigorously analysing a system or casting off your own paradigms and throwing yourself in the humility of not-knowing. … mastery has less to do with pushing … than madly letting go and dancing with the system …”
Prof. Christian Ghymers
Michel de Kemmeter

Wise Circles 3: Learn from crisis, and launch new dynamics

Stranded in mud

We are in a never experienced moment in known history of mankind: over 2 billion people confided at home, a tremendous systemic crisis happening in front of our eyes. The daily cost of this situation is between 500 million and 1 billion euros for Belgium only (excluding immaterial and human costs on long term which are colossal). But above all, many people are realizing some absurd aspects of the world we were in, of their crazy job rythm, the lethal run to unsustainable CO2 emissions and ecological destruction, and the incoherence of the political and economical system. Children – on their side – are happy because the colossal snake is biting, and eating its own tail, proving its own unsustainability – contemplating its nearby death. No need to march any more. We are offered beautiful, strong and challenging moments of slowing down and questioning our lives, jobs, relations, values, and imagine new inspiring and empowering visions.

Multiple angles

So, this shows once again that the financial bottom lines (micro-economy) and the Gross Domestic Products (marco-economy) are no longer the adequate and correct ways to measure value in our societies. Truth is hitting: “When driven only by the market and the competition, Homo Sapiens is the only species on this planet which pretends to control, and which adds no value to the world. The bottom line is that it destroys more than it creates”. We behaved truly barbaric towards nature, animal world, and to our own people. We thus have to pull other sciences in (Economy as we have been taught not even being a hard science…) Psychology, sociology, anthropology, pedagogy to start with. Followed by geology, biology, chemistry, art and culture etc… Transversally, and seriously. If we shift our perception of value, on how we make balance sheets of true value, we shift our whole economy and society. Money – as a major value measurement – is the result of smart actions. But above, we have purpose, knowledge, communities, engagement, smart alliances, precious resources. We strongly recommend to focus on those multiple value balance sheets.

How are we going to get out of this?

We are highly worried that the “people in charge” will most probably stick to known recipes. It is always difficult for incumbent authorities to admit their own responsibility or lack of preparation. But at the same time, it is a fantastic opportunity – without complacency – to prepare, in the same injection, the vaccine against economic vulnerability, social unrest and ecological disasters.
Saving the banks and airlines, pouring thousands of billions as “quantitative easing” on financial markets, and on the other hand offering financial help to people and companies to sustain their next months of survival (with money they do not have), are perfectly normal reactions and these measures are absolutely necessary – but we should already look beyond that. But at the moment the more systemic issues which remain high on the agenda are not tackled at all : climate, ecology, deep financial instability, social diseases – which are intertwined. If those recipes go without a fundamental rethinking of the system itself, this will lead to colossal wasted money, lost hopes, and precious time loss – just postponing the questioning for another few months or years while worsening the debt burden, and ecological liabilities for next generations. And above all, an amplification in the trend of loss of confidence of the larger public in their competence since authorities have repeatedly proved to be unable to foresee and correct the weakest points of our system. All the predictions of national banks, planning offices of states and supranational administrations (and their highly paid consultants) were systematically wrong. Even though lots of voices screamed for a systemic perspective and pragmatic future scenario plotting, the establishment ignored those, and went on staring on their linear extrapolations. This attitude will lead soon to social unrest and populist pressures, accentuating systemic blocking of economy and society.

Efficient action will only be possible with a combination of “top down”, “bottom up” and transversal low threshold actions. Simultaneously. It should be a balance between individual and collective action, a search for enhanced coherence, and balance – like in any ecosystem. For example, at the same time work on global (supranational) alignment and tools, national institutional reforms, simplifying administrations and decision lines, and opening up space for local collaborations and co-entrepreneurship. Like that we will be able to create well anchored local roots for people and businesses – but this time, allying space for people to fulfill themselves, room for regeneration of biotopes, and sustainable and profitable jobs for everyone.

“No real spiritual and human progress is possible until the dawn of the clear realization that each person is sole responsible for the path he develops in his life.”

Cédric du Monceau
Michel de Kemmeter

Wise Circles 2: Resilience through stronger local roots

We have entered a decennium of ”Dangers & Risks”, after 70 years of (relative) peace and stability (Peretti – Wattel, F. Ewald). Like the fears of the middle ages. No-one is able to tell what, when, and how occurrences will arise, but we all know it’s gonna be rock & roll, and some of us even have the figures attesting that evidence.

The Coronavirus crisis is the first one of the decennium. The first of a series of waves that are already known. On top of other “black swan” surprises.

Here are some of the next ones : 

  • Older populations exiting the work market, without enough young talent flowing in (>2021)
  • Energy cuts of ageing energy production units (2021 – 2030)
  • Pension systems bugging because of massive ageing (2024-2025)
  • Pension funds and stocks value volatility because of stock market crashes (2020-2030)
  • Multiple resources disruptions (2022-…)
  • Real estate prices dropping because of too high renovation costs combined with legal obligations (2020)
  • Housing unsustainable and unavailability of low cost rental (2020-2030)
  • Technological evolutions exponential without talent for maintenance and security leading to vulnerability to hacking, unreliability and entropical collapse (2026-2028)
  • Large scale talent hunt leading to business discontinuity. (2021-2030)
  • Large scale climate migration (2025-…)
  • Political instability, democracy at risk (2021-…)
  • And other multiple health and food hazards, social peace, new poverty and exclusion, natural hazards,…

All our incoherences will hit one by one, as waves, and will force us to build more resilient economic and societal systems. So in practice, our political leaders and entrepreneurs will have to get prepared to adapt to rebound and…re-build differently – far away from a “react to resist / weather the storm” mode.

Same story at personal level : our limiting beliefs, our unhealed traumas, our egos and fears, leading to major incoherences in our posture, way of life, jobs, relations, etc, will have to be withdrawn to give space to more coherence.

Same story again at company level : mission, purpose, vision, values (for real) as well as business models and operations  will step by step have to mutate towards more consistent, transformative and regenerative organizations , fostering new alignment. Or disappear. 

So now, inside this confinement period preparing the “day after”, those who think that it will be possible to come back to “business (nearly) as usual”, leaving aside all attempts to bring sustainability, regenerative and resilience principles into the models, will go even further into the pitfall of has-been businesses and leaders. An even faster run into the mass grave of dinosaurs. And maybe, maybe it is better to deal with those as fast as possible, to limit mass destruction. We can fairly bet on the fact that large corporations will not make that move. Too huge to shift into agility. 

The basic principle and paradigm is GLOCAL: a local, well intertwined ecosystem of businesses answering vital functions (Commons) of local communities, crossing (underused) resources and (unmet) needs. This on multiple value levels (cfr. 7D-Value multiple balance sheets). To make it work, new collaboration templates should be built between coalitions of local authorities, companies and SME’s, and citizens. A new generation of genuine peer-to-peer collaborations will be at the core of so-called “Resilience Communities”. 

Resilient and Agile leaders will still have their jobs and businesses next year and will attract the best talents and allies.

Because they will cooperate not only with “think alikes” but also with “unlike minded actors”, because they will look for inspiration from early adopters and pioneers, because they will be ready to move beyond their glass ceilings, because they will dare to trust people and believe in the power collective intelligence.

The map of the next decade is full of landmines for sure, but also full of treasures to be unveiled. Show courage, respect and openness ! Get prepared and equipped.

Probably the foundations of the next generation resilient societies are: global multidimensional health, social well-being and personal empowerment and encapacitation, holistic education, knowledge, studies and research. All of it around new coherence on personal, project and governance levels.

This, of course, goes in diagonal contradiction with centralized anti-democratic control agendas (most of the time technology-based) based on fear and dependance of terrified populations. We cannot go against these agendas, but at least, this way, the individuals who truly and humbly want to thrive, have a framework to do so. Little step by little step. Not “against” anybody, but “with”, plugged into what we have today – towards a bright and optimistic vision.

Michel de Kemmeter
Prof Philippe Dambly
Philippe Drouillon

Wise Circles 1: Rebuilding our economy post systemic crisis: the old way, or is there a new way?

Stranded in mud

We are in a never experienced moment in known history of mankind: over 2 billion people confided at home, a tremendous systemic crisis happening in front of our eyes. The daily cost of this situation is between 500 million and 1 billion euros for Belgium only (excluding immaterial and human costs on long term which are colossal). But above all, people are realizing some absurd aspects of the world we were in, of their crazy job rythm, the lethal run to unsustainable CO2 emissions and ecological destruction, and the incoherence of the political and economical system. Children – on their side – are happy because the colossal snake is biting, and eating its own tail, proving its own unsustainability – contemplating its nearby death. No need to march any more.

Multiple angles

So, financial bottom line is no longer true bottom line. Truth is hitting wildly: “Human species is the only one on this planet which pretends to control, and which adds no value to the world. The bottom line is that it destroys people, planet and profit”. We thus have to pull other sciences in (Economy as we have been taught not even being a hard science…)  Psychology, sociology, antropology, pedagogy to start with. Followed by geology, biology, chemistry, art and culture etc… Transversally, and seriously.

How are we going to get out of this ?

The “people in charge” will stick to known recipes. It is always difficult for incumbent authorities to admit their own responsibility or lack of preparation. Saving the banks and airlines, pouring thousands of billions as “quantitative easing” on financial markets, offering financial help to people and companies to sustain their next months of survival (with money they do not have). This is a perfectly normal reaction and these measures are anyway necessary – but they don’t tackle the more systemic issues which remain high on the agenda: climatic changes, financial instability, social diseases which are intertwined. If those recipes go without a fundamental rethinking of the system itself, this will lead to colossal wasted money, lost hopes, and precious time loss – just postponing the questioning for another few months or years while worsening the burden for next generations. And above all, an amplification in the trend of loss of confidence of the larger public in their competence since authorities have repeatedly proved to be unable to foresee and correct the weakest points of our system. All the predictions of national banks, planning offices of states and supranational administrations were wrong. Even though lots of voices screamed for a systemic perspective and pragmatic future scenarios, the establishment ignored those, and stared in front of their linear extrapolations. This attitude will lead soon to social unrest and populist pressures, accentuating systemic blocking of economy and society.

Lessons learned

The last global financial crisis of 2008-09 shows clearly how we lost a historical opportunity of coherent reforms because, once the authorities believed that the economy was running again, they all abandoned their commitments to remedy the systemic causes of the crisis. Out of laziness or incompetence ? This time, the health crisis and the new global financial crisis which arrives like a tsunami, provide another historical opportunity we cannot miss. The present situation is naturally more pro-change-oriented for two reasons: on the health side, the crisis is both global and individual. Nobody can escape – and fear already makes people to change and open their minds. On the macro-financial side, the fragilities accumulated by the insufficient reforms, the lack of national budgetary and monetary rooms for maneuver, and the accelerating climatic changes, make inescapable the worst global financial crisis of all times, and therefore a return to “business-as-usual” behavior led by the “rent-seekers” should become much harder. Meeting such challenges will oblige policymakers to adopt more systemic reforms for overcoming the inefficiency of old recipes. But are they prepared for this ? No. There is at least one missing piece: the capacity of managing complex challenges. This is where systemics come in.

Lets make our case

The absolute urgency is not to “save an old system”, but to prepare people, companies, and political leaders for higher resilience. Nor to “come back” every time to the norm of the past, or to break existing forms, but to adapt to evolutive norms as life behaves in a “trial-and-error-process”, learning from shocks pointing out incoherences. Every upcoming crisis will break incoherent and inefficient systems to pieces. Step by step. Whether we want it or not. It is called “entropy”, systemic inefficiency and inner chaos, which could only be tackled through better organization by cleaning our customs and behaviors. This is what evolution and history teach us: progress means systemic changes. In nature, species, in our companies, in our state administrations, justice, even in our own lives. Unstandable chaos and torment. But people will have had a few weeks to slow down and line up priorities. Will they be willing enough and have enough energy to boost twice as much after lockdown ? And take high pressure shit-jobs again ? Check it out. Lets talk again in 2 months… The people, and some of their heroic postures, will be our biggest allies. After every major ordeal emerge major societal shifts. Maybe this is the time for collective intention of mutating a destructive model into a regenerative one.

Black swan and urgency

Reacting in urgency on this crisis – which in itself is an unexpected “black swan” (first of along series if we have to believe hundreds of studies on historical converging challenges) – will cost at least 100 billion Euros for Belgium, and 1 billion Euro/day loss, without even starting to manage the other 20+ challenges coming up as multiple tsunamis. This would be totally naive, irrational and incompetent. We have calculated that they will cost over 9 trillion Euros, if managed one by one, linearly, within the timeframe of 11 years (only for Belgium). We are entering a decade of multiple risks and black swans, and converging historical challenges. We do not have that amount of money, and we do not have the time, talent and project management either – and even less the political system for it. We will not have any transition plan whatsoever in this country because of the multiple levels of power blocking everything – let aside the egoistic and patricratic agendas of our elected. The game is rigged. Checkmate. Do our policymakers and governments sincerely believe they will “bring back the going concern” by flooding the world with debt-money ? With no more questioning ? No. This cannot be credible. But “they” will try – within urgency.

All the decisions taken in the next few weeks will deeply impact our society and economy for the next years. Mistakes will cost multiples of crisis cost, and wise decisions injected will be the seed of the next sustainable paradigm.

Let’s face it

We can only manage a systemic crisis with systemic thinking and intelligence. With capacity to manage complexity. It is a true science. Time for a little homework. Simplistic thinking out – complexity management in.

But first, let’s get back to basics.

Where do we truly want to go with humanity on this world ? A place where everybody can live happily, in good health, fulfill and bring the best to progress common good.

Do we have a goal setting ?

Yes. Just follow the 17 SDG’s.

How do we get there ?

No idea. All plans have failed up to now.

The rest is full-blast vulgar greenwashing. Announcements and promises, but no intention whatsoever to act towards that common noble goal. Because their true urgency are bonuses and dividends. Stop dreaming.

We have 2 major problems 

  1. INTENTION. We are not focused to that common goal and noble intention, and too much focused on accumulating nevrotically as much money as possible for ourselves. Frankly, nobody truly cares enough, and we do not believe in our governments any more to succeed that transition anyway. Ethics have to enter into all discussions, plans and decisions.

  2. TOOLS. We do not have the tools to do so. The monetary system and accounting rules do not valorize what truly is important (environment, social peace, common progress), and is asymmetric (the dollar as a world currency), incomplete and unbalanced. The methodologies and ways of thinking and working still are linear, not systemic, not multifunctional. We need systemic and pragmatic road books and measuring tools.

Do we have best practices ?

Sure. Argentina 2001. Local complementary currencies, communities getting organized locally, cooperatives of workers restarting factories.

Extrapreneurs: formats where citizens willing to learn and to collaborate with companies, public services and academics, create new business models based on systemic intelligence.

And hundreds of leaders who succeeded to stand out with holistic and systemic intelligence, with lots of common sense and vision. Club of Brussels is gathering them as we speak. Rethinking the system has been on the agenda of dozens of people since over two decades. Under the radar. But today is the day. Whether “they” want it or not.

As Jaime Lerner says: “Creativity starts when you take one zero off your budget. Two is even better.”

Good. We have no money left – and even if there is, the plan will fail anyway. This is where we come in.

This is a draft of our plan:

TOP DOWN:

  • Intercontinental collective wisdom: mapping what their respective wise communities can bring to the world

  • Continental collective talent: mapping what can every country bring as uniqueness

  • A robust monetary system with new diversity enabling new value chains.

  • A strong message and invitation to the people: “We need everybody, every pair of hands, every talent, whatever age, education race or religion. If we work all together, we will be able to build the world we dream to live in. Lets stop destroying ourselves with fear and doubt – we believe in you people.”

  • Bring holistic and systemic intelligence in a “Economic and Societal Transition Center & Taskforce” connecting experts, entrepreneurs, leaders, scientifics, etc together to bring the best to the people, companies and politics.

  • Bring the basics of systemic intelligence and complexity management for individuals, families and organisations to the large public.

BOTTOM UP:

  • A B2B dynamics to reconnect small businesses on a local and regional basis, crossing underused resources and excellences together. Mutualize their intelligence to protect “vital functions” of their operations. On medium term, bring new coherence, new ways of working and new business models towards more resilience and flourishing futures (Wise Impact Leaders Clubs)

  • A blueprint for local education and co-entrepreneurship (Extrapreneurial model), to solidify local communities with local authorities, to reconstruct vital functions for the people to survive. Connect those communities together with solutions on knowledge platforms.

  • A set of guidelines local territories to enhance their resilience and self-sufficiency thanks to their

  • A blueprint for Family Capital assessment and consolidation. Social peace and resilience starts in families and “small circles”.

  • Individual reconnexion and invitation to emerge to ones “IKIGAI’s”. Reconnect to passion, talent, dreams, and eventually encapacitation of every individual.

  • Online Crowdsourcing of solutions to fill-in creatively the basic needs of people and society. Its time to map the value that was under the radar for too long.

Known pieces

This plan is just an aligning known pieces of puzzle, existing methods. We do not have to reinvent the wheel. Everything is there. All of these are very very low cost, and have the side effect to reconnect people, give trust, empower individuals and teams, innovate pragmatically with existing and underused resources, and will avoid social unrest…

All this is in majority brain-juice and connecting dots.

Glocal

It will foster “GLOCAL” knowledge clusters: global knowledge connected to local coalitions of players. Nurture resilience communities: alliances between citizens, companies, local authorities, with pokes to science and media. This is full leverage.

But, we are not naive, and know this plan will not get to the top of all agendas:

After lockdown, there will emerge two very clear new groups of people:

  1. The ones that will have chosen for their true power, identity and unique added value, that (finally) decided to bring the best of themselves to the world. As citizens, companies, public institutions, cities or countries.
    — Great, welcome to the new resilience communities.

  1. The others who will be afraid, and will stay in dependance of whoever tells the best story. Those will be recuperated by companies and governments that build their nevrotic strategies on fear, ego and control. This is where the Big Brother scenario gets to the next level.
    — It is your free will, but you will have a hard time

We cannot force anybody. Lets be a role model, inspire and show.

No in betweens any more.

Incoherences will be very visible.

But, the combination of million of small steps – all together – will create tremendous systemic progress.