1. 1 NEW SHOES TODAY • ROAD TO CREATION, INNOVATION AND CHANGE
LEARN FROM YOUR NEARLINGS
NEW SHOES TODAY
Soul Mates Experimenting on the Edge of Creation,
Innovation and Change
Thirteen people met professionally to initiate an organisation that matches
with their own ideals and is in itself an example of what they want to show to
the world. Paradigms are shifting.
From Scarcity to Abundance
The moment we understand that wisdom, power, love, knowledge, trust,
authenticity… can only grow, we can share them endlessly without losing any-
thing. These values do not converge with the zero sum principle. By sharing,
we all gain more and more for everybody. Let’s make a start by giving instead
of taking what we can get, or measuring what we give against what we receive.
From Creation to Co-creation
The art of giving is also a starting point for co-creation. The most valuable
creation is co-creation because two (or more) parties realise new added
value for each other and the world at the same instant. And the only crea-
tion that exists is here and now, in an ever-changing world.
From Creating the Parts to Receiving the Wholeness
Everything is connected to the wholeness. Once you understand this you can
fundamentally change your ways of intervening in the world and in organisa-
tions. When you experience the wholeness, you know that a tiny little change,
a new perspective, a surprising activity may provoke crucial differences for
the whole. It also means that borders between organisations, structures, cul-
tures are not as closed as we may suspect. Everything is linked.
These paradigm shifts are progressing. As time goes by they will find their
own new forms, including the existing ones. So scarcity will be part of the
new paradigm of abundance.
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2. 2 NEW SHOES TODAY • ROAD TO CREATION, INNOVATION AND CHANGE
Co-creating an Organisation
In the heart of that change these thirteen people initiated an organisation to
contribute to those shifts: to find invigorating forms, radically new angles,
fresh perspectives, new applications, authentic concepts, inspiring products,
and most of all: new ways of doing business. And they want to act today. It’s
not about making plans. It’s about acting here and now, with respect for his-
tory and with care for the future and for the whole.
They are co-creating an organisational form based on these shifting para-
digms. Their main goals are to maximise the authenticity and personal
growth of all the participants, to connect from soul to soul internally and
with clients, to increase consciousness for a better world.
Instead of becoming a closed, well defined organisation they choose to be
a diffuse and organic, very open organisation. Merging with others, without
hierarchy, and giving space to everybody, to every idea and many, many activities.
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3. 3 NEW SHOES TODAY • ROAD TO CREATION, INNOVATION AND CHANGE
Nurturing the Soul
If an organisation is so diffuse and continuously changing you have to har-
vest your activities, share your experiences, continuously examine processes
and dilemmas. It is the only way to render the collective soul explicit, to
make it tangible, to hold it for a while and treasure it. You need to evaluate
your actions and connect with your ideas, your dreams, your growth.
In order to do so, the crew of new shoes today use the following circles to
question themselves, their activities and their impact on the environment.
By developing awareness on these three levels they nurture their own souls
and the soul of new shoes today.
There are three main themes in the circles.
New Ways of Organising
Let’s give some examples of how all this works in practise.
Everybody is able to start up whatever project in the field of creation, innova-
tion and change. When working in the market place, co-creation is the first
reflex for all activities, with a unique combination of the new shoes today crew,
soul mates and clients. All today-activities are set up as a project and the goal
is always to create something entirely new with and for all participants involved.
The new shoes today crew meet once a month during a ‘WonderWalk’, an
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4. 4 NEW SHOES TODAY • ROAD TO CREATION, INNOVATION AND CHANGE
original way of meeting while hiking through the countryside. Surprising how
all the goals of traditional meetings can be achieved while physically, emo-
tionally and spiritually enjoying nature or another environment.
Nobody owns the company or the label, since the founders have decided to
pay no dividends and not to accumulate money in the organisation. Nobody
is on the payroll. Everybody is an entrepreneur. The structure is as virtual and
flexible as possible in order to reach the above-mentioned targets. When dif-
ficult organisational decisions have to be made, everybody has an equal vote.
Internal roles (ICT, accounting, content development, PR, publications…) are
taken on by whoever thinks they are best at it, and are rewarded by an internal
fee for the project. The role is up for discussion at any moment if someone
thinks they can do better.
The previous cases were co-created and described by new shoes today crew
and soul mates.
• Sportspectrum: Godelieve Spaas
• Heerema Marine Contractors: Maarten Swinkels and Gabriël Augustijn
• Wellantcollege Westvliet: Godelieve Spaas and Ellis Oudendijk
• InAxis: Igor Byttebier and Ramon Vullings
• PGGM: Ramon Vullings
• Drechtwerk: Igor Byttebier and Godelieve Spaas
A year from now, you may wish you had started... TODAY Karen Lamb
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