.: on the frontiers of venturing and venture investing :.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Emergence.

After much prodding a picked up the book 'Getting to Maybe' and started reading it on the weekend. I have been pushing deeper into 'the entrepreneurial approach' and working with the idea that it is more about the creating/holding the space for things to emerge. This morning I read the chapter called 'Let It Find You' which is all about emergence. I am more convinced that in this element of entrepreneurship/social innovation is the 'magic' that can be amplified and applied to restoring balance among people and the planet.

Traditional incubators have often focused on either a single accomplished entrepreneur or a support services which can be helpful but don't get at the core of entrepreneurship/innovation. The growing celebrity of social entrepreneurs has put a focus on the individuals again as a source of entrepreneurship but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The space that allows things to emerge can be held/created within an individual, a session/conversation, a group, or a network/community. 'Getting to Maybe' does a great job of presenting the importance of having things emerge. I'm hoping now to dig deeper in the ways that happens and how it can be intentionally created and held for maximum benefit. Certainly there is much to build from here, especially from people/places like the Institute of Cultural Affairs (here, here, and here) where they have spent lifetimes living, observing, and understanding how things emerge from the ground up. If you have some other great resources I should be looking at please let me know.