This document discusses how biomimetics and applying principles from nature can help improve business leadership and sustainability. Some key principles discussed include using waste as a resource, optimizing rather than maximizing, remaining balanced with the environment, and using local resources. Applying these biomimetic principles can help in areas like growth, customer relationships, sustainability, creativity, and strategic thinking. Business leadership can be mapped and relationships understood using biological models like mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Overall biomimetics provides a framework to inspire strategic thinking and transform businesses from strategy to delivery.

1. Nature has already solved the problem and Business
Biomimetics can help you access those ideas. By
drawing on 3.8 billion years of experience we can tap
into nature’s problem solving thinking
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2. There are a number of biomimetic principles which when applied to the
way you think about your leadership improves sustainability and drives
sustainable competitive advantage
• Use waste as a resource
• Use structure and material sparingly
• Diversify and cooperate
• Gather and use energy efficiently
• Optimise not maximise
• Run on embedded information
• Clean up not pollute be green positive
• Remain in balance with your environment
• Use only local resources
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3. Symbiosis: Your leadership relationships can be mapped
using biology to hep understand changes over time
win win lose
mutualism commensalism parasitism
commensalism neutralism waste
lose
parasitism waste competition
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4. This means that business biomimetics can drive your
leadership thinking in a number of key areas
Your
Leadership
New approaches for Re-energize team
growth & business
development
CSR & Sustainability Bring creativity to Expand strategic
your customer thinking
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5. Creating an
integrated change Team value based on Team view based on £150 Key strategic areas for Context
plan today’s performance million objective 2008/9
Movement 41 45 Optimal deployment of
resource
Leadership Respiration 32 55 Effective use of energy
and investment
Sensitivity 30 74  Ability to be in touch with the
customer, market, competitor
and internal performances
Growth 37 62 Capability to deliver and
sustain growth
n t
ale
Reproduction 28 80  Ability to expand the business
T with high performance people
Excretion 34 62 Clear understanding
Theme Definition about what adds value
and what drains resources
Aspirational mentor
Nutrition 33 65 An established process for
Internalising value development
Results – driven value
Biomimetic Strategic Choice
Goal congruence 30
Improving relationships 23
Performance advantage
Diversity 15
Strategic
System innovation evaluation 8
Develop performers & leaders Newbies to have work shadowing. 0
Mandatory training and standards 0 15 30
Evaluation risk
45 60
to develop desired skills
Distinct consulting identity
Improve operations
Role rotation
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6. Based on biological principles it is possible to deliver an roadmap
for your leadership that starts with inspirational strategic
thinking and results in step change transformation
inspire transform
think
Biologize Biologize
Your Business Bring to Life
Biologize Biologize
do
Fit for Life Future Fit
It is possible to start in any
of the quadrants and have a
clear pathway from strategy
to delivery
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7. To find out ways in which this new approach can be tailored
to you please get in touch
Dr Phil Richardson
Thoughtcrew Limited
phil.richardson@thoughtcrew.net
+44 208 133 4728
www.thoughtcrew.net
www.biologize.com
Thoughtcrew, Biologize and the Business Biomimetics process are trademarks or registered trademarks of Thoughtcrew Limited
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