What does it mean for an organization’s ecosystem to thrive? It’s about an orchestrated system of stakeholders consistently delivering remarkable products and services that leave customers (or clients, or patients) feeling valued and respected, and doing so in economically, environmentally, and socially beneficial ways. And it’s more than that! It’s about how the Mirror Flourishing phenomenon creates workplaces where people experience personal well-being, have trust in their colleagues, and take pride in their work. Places that bring out their best to achieve organizational and societal goals.
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Mirror Flourishing and What It Means When An Organization’s Ecosystem Thrives?
Neil Samuels
A thriving business ecosystem consistently delivers remarkable products and services that leave customers (or clients, or patients) feeling valued and respected, – in economically, environmentally, and socially beneficial ways. And it’s more than that! It’s about high performing workplaces where people experience personal well-being, have trust in their colleagues, and take pride in their work. Places that bring out their best to achieve organizational and societal goals.
Of course, in a world with increasingly complex socio-economic and environmental challenges, attaining unprecedented, enduring business advantage is just one side of the coin. Producing positive social, economic, and environmental impact—the total positive effect of your organization on the well-being of the individuals, families, and social fabric of the communities in which you operate– is the other side. Fortunately, doing well and good are inextricably intertwined. As Paul Polman (recent CEO of Unilever) shares in his book Net Positive, this idea that organizations thrive when society thrives is increasingly accepted in the C-suite. In their book, Firms of Endearment, Rajendra S. Sisodia, David B. Wolfe, and Jagdish N. Sheth also provide a mountain of evidence. They show that organizations aligning the strengths of their ecosystem partners create not only organizations that other companies love partnering with, and people love working for, but also organizations that the market loves investing in and that produce economic results blowing away the S&P 500 averages.
Innovation, both of your products or services, AND your organizational architecture (i.e. your practices, processes, and structures) is key. As David Cooperrider, co-originator of Appreciative Inquiry, and Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University) says, “it’s about people being inspired every day and bringing their whole selves to work; it’s about innovation arising from everywhere; and it’s about realizing remarkable relationship value with stakeholders”.
The thriving of your ecosystem and the thriving of your business are inextricably connected.
We have always known that flourishing workplaces drive flourishing in our ecosystems, Now we are learning that a thriving ecosystem is mirrored by a flourishing workplace. We invite you to learn more about how Co-Creating Mutual Value with your ecosystem stakeholders initiates this natural phenomenon we are just now beginning to recognize – called Mirror Flourishing.