Our New World E-Book

Florian Hoffmann

• Herausgeber: Murmann Publishers GmbH
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 197

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

The pandemic, the climate crisis, work – today's world isn't short of challenges. Social injustice. And technology that is slowly but steadily creeping into every aspect of our lives. But what if the answers to the big questions aren't found in simplistic technocracy or a mood of the-end-is-nigh? Florian Hoffmann is a founder and social entrepreneur. For years, he has been talking to, and working with, people around the world who, like himself, want to make a contribution to a more sustainable, fairer and positive future. In Our New World (Die Neue Welt), he takes the reader on an expedition to the places and people that have already arrived in this future: young entrepreneurs, innovators, founders and leaders who are courageously shaping a better world. Florian Hoffmann demonstrates the huge potential for creating a better future today. He visits places and people around the world, where courage and imagination have already paved the way for the world of tomorrow. Beacons for the way ahead, these role models encourage readers to take their own steps into the New World. Many are breaking down the border between earning money and making a positive contribution, and are asking, more generally: What impact can I have, now and in the future? How can my success offer others new chances? The journalist Saba is fighting for girls' and women's right in Pakistan. Niall dumps his high-flying job to find a solution for microplastics pollutions. Lily wants to inspire people to take up life-long learning – and develops scenarios for what future jobs might look like. These are some of the many diverse voices who believe in a better future.

Leseprobe

A Journey to People and Places Building the Future Today

INTRODUCTION

The new World …

IS FOLLOWING ITS PASSION

IS LOOKING FOR PURPOSE

IS INDEPENDENT

IS INTERCONNECTED

KEEPS ON LEARNING

IS OVERCOMING FEAR

IS BUILDING NEW INSTITUTIONS

IS CHANGING DIRECTION

IS PLAYFUL

HAS A BEGINNER’S MINDSET

CELEBRATES COMPLEXITY

LIVES IN HOPE

IS DISCOVERING ITSELF

IS ATTEMPTING CONSISTENCY

IS CHANGING HABITS

YOU ARE NOT THE PRODUCT

IS REORGANIZING ITSELF

IS DISTRIBUTING MONEY BETTER

IS GETTING BETTER AT CLOSE COLLABORATION

IS REORGANIZING ITS ECONOMY

IS LIVING LOCAL

HAS DIFFERENT LOGISTICS

IS LIVING COMMUNITY IN NEW WAYS

IS LEAVING THE BUBBLE

IS BOLD

IS ENABLING PARTICIPATION

IS LOOKING FOR STORIES OF HOPE

GOING FORWARD

THANKS

THE AUTHOR

For Lola — may your heart be filled with hope and your life be fuelled by bold ideas.

Our world, full of uncertainty and anxiety, harbours a secret. In essence, we all know it — and still we lose sight of it again and again. This book aims to help reveal it. Because revealing it will determine how we look to, and shape, the future.

The secret is: we’re actually not as powerless as we often think. Neither are we trapped in a civilization that isn’t developing, that can’t be saved — or, if it can, then only by a few chosen people with plenty of economic or political clout.

In fact, more and more people around the globe are already building a new world as we speak, in a multitude of ways. And you and I can do so too.

It’s true. Our world is changing radically in many respects, and advancing in leaps and bounds. The downside: the world won’t wait for us. The upside: the world won’t wait for us — and it’s asking us all to dance, inviting each one of us to set forth in the same way, to move with the music. And giving us the chance to shape this new world in our own independent and interconnected ways, to take on the big challenges of our times: the pandemic, the climate crisis, work, social inequality, and of course technology, which is slowly but surely pervading every single area of our lives.

And so we’re each faced with the challenge of answering a fundamental question for ourselves: when, and how far, should I go now?

It’s not easy to answer this. Particularly not for the millions of people — and more of them since the pandemic — who, in many parts of our world, have been fighting for their daily existence for a long time. These people don’t have the luxury of thinking beyond the next day or week. But it isn’t easy for the rest of us, either. We’re too focused on the practical constraints and constrictions of the old world which are still limiting our thinking, making us feel our hands are tied and we don’t have the power to put a new spin on our future — especially not by ourselves. So, as a result, we oscillate between dazzling visions of progress (“Technology will take care of everything”) and extremely dark prognoses of a world on fire (“No one will be able to take care of it fast enough”), while simultaneously trying to equip ourselves and our children with the skills that will help us compete in a future we can’t even picture yet. Which, again, is no easy task.

As an entrepreneur and a father, I’ve been searching the world for new ideas for the past ten years. Ideas that might contribute to overcoming the big challenges of our times. And I’ve been looking for answers to the question of what we ourselves actually need to be able to make our contribution. Do any people or places offer practical examples of how we can change ourselves and the world? Is anyone anywhere finally making concrete headway on how to change ourselves and our world? By acknowledging old problems and bravely championing the new?

On my journeys and through my work, I’ve got to know countless people — from Buenos Aires to Dalian, from Oulu to New York — who set off a long time ago, have already arrived in the future, and are now living it in multifaceted ways. They’ve crossed the threshold of personal and social change. Flipped the switch. Made a decision. Because it makes no sense to wait. What for, anyway?

With each new connection, I found a picture forming before my eyes, an image very different from the one emerging from the flood of information overwhelming our smartphones and computers. It’s the image of a new world in which the main players are people, people who — for all their differences — have one thing in common: they’ve closed one chapter in their lives, taken their first unfamiliar steps, and are now shaping the new world. Courageously. Creatively.

To be able to give all the representatives of the new world I’ve had the privilege of meeting over the past few years their say, and to be able to highlight all the complex challenges they are tackling, this book would have needed to be significantly bigger. That’s why I decided to create a colourful assortment of people and topics, in full knowledge that their stories stand for many others. For people who are:

Listening to their heart and their passion.

Joining forces to realize their common vision of a new world all across the globe.

Addressing complex problems, yet still taking action as quickly as possible, with great pragmatism, step by step, within their sphere of influence.

Not afraid to test which structures and institutions are meaningful today and will remain so in the future.

No longer thinking in terms of the old categories of “rich North, poor South”, but confidently helping to shape what globalization will mean in the future.

Not senior managers leading a troop of workers, but people who give their colleagues space for individual development.

Focusing their business solely on the needs of their customers: What do they really need? What would be meaningful to them?

Trying to lead a consistent life full of joy and levity.

Taking action for a more even distribution of money and assets that will finally reach those on the margins of society.

Recognizing that each link in the value creation chain is equally productive and valuable.

Helping to develop a data infrastructure and economy that is transparent, fair and up-to-date.

Stepping out of their comfort zone and connecting with people who think very differently from themselves.

Living life locally, because keeping it local doesn’t mean going without; it actually means enjoyment, community and well-being.

THE CONCLUSION I’ve come to after all my encounters and conversations makes me feel I can look to the future with a bit of confidence. Because we can stop looking for a single solution. We can stop frightening one another on the one hand, or pretending we, as the human race, are invulnerable on the other. We can even stop spending money. No single coaching programme, retreat or course of study will enable us to master the transition from the old to the new world. And this is simply because we already have what we need : clear convictions. Which includes being open-minded enough to try things differently, and brave enough to see this through.

So, we have every reason for hope. But it’s down to us all to shape the new world in our very own way. That’s why I hope my book will inspire you. I hope you will join this new world, enriching it with your ideas and actions, and that you will add your own chapter to the tale I’m telling. Are you ready? OK, let’s go!

IT’S A WINTER’S MORNING IN SWITZERLAND, and I’m stomping through the snow with Niall Dunne. Ice crystals on car windows everywhere. The air clear and crisp. Niall is a smart guy. Long black hair. A hint of a Hollywood smile, even though he lives and works in London. I’ve known Niall for a while now, and this week we’re sharing a tiny flat with friends in Davos. Each year, the global elites descend on the little Swiss ski resort for the World Economic Forum to discuss the state of the world. Davos works like an onion: you have to peel off successive layers to get to the core. And in this case, the more formal power, money or fame you have, the greater your access to certain streets, hotels and meeting rooms.

Niall and I are quite far from the centre of the onion as we make our way from our tiny, extremely overpriced apartment to our first meetings. Beside us, black limousines and police cars glide towards the main street, which has transformed itself — as it does for these few days every year — into a “promenade” brimming with showrooms and pavilions.

I’m used to the life of a start-up entrepreneur, and I quite enjoy it. Niall, on the other hand, didn’t have to come here to meet managers in cafés for an informal chat. A few years ago, Niall was sitting in one of these black limousines and holding champagne soirees himself. He was in his forties at that point, and already a senior executive at one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the world. He was, so to speak, at the top of his game. Money, influence, power. All doors open to him. But one day, he got up from his desk and pressed the stop button. Niall handed in his notice and left. Just like that.

Walking beside him through Davos, I’m reminded of the countless conversations I’ve had with managers over the years. Whether in New York, Munich or Singapore — they all tend to go the same way. Despite the arduous journey, and at times the jetlag in my bones, I’m always curious. I want to get to know these people better, tell them my ideas for joint projects. But then I find myself sitting on a fancy chair listening to how disappointed the person I’m talking to is: in their bosses, the shareholders, the company strategy. And why he or she — disillusioned and frustrated — is now intent on only doing the bare minimum. In contrast to Niall, these managers have stayed put in their posts. Because they still need to pay off their holiday home. Because they won’t get such a good package anywhere else. Because the money, the job title, the company cars keep on easing the frustration a little. It’s as if people are sitting in a gilded cage — locked in, but very comfortable. If anyone makes the break, then it’s usually only to take up a similar job with the competition. With some people, I’ve been having these conversations for years. For a long time, economic success and influence seemed to me to go hand in hand with a whole load of personal and professional compromises.

All around the world, people are looking for purpose more than ever before. The global race for new innovations is on, and we are beginning to reshape our working world. NIALL DUNNE

In the meantime, Niall has decided on a different course. He also wants to get more out of life. That’s why he gave up his executive post and joined the start-up Polymateria, which was founded by a group of scientists all intent on finally coming up with a solution to stem the damage done to the environment by plastics and micro-plastics. A precarious idea, and there were bound to be consequences. When Niall joined, the invention was still in its test phase, and no one had any idea whether it could ever develop into a business. But Niall was convinced by the idea, and was prepared to start again from scratch to make it work. Using his know-how and network for something meaningful seemed more important to him than (apparent) security and (apparent) comfort.

Looking at him from the side like this, I can see the strain he’s under, beset, as he is, by all the worries of a free entrepreneur: How to find investors who believe in you? How to motivate colleagues not to give up prematurely? How to secure a livelihood for yourself and your family? At first glance, he seems tired and stressed, but upon closer inspection, you can see his enthusiasm and passion.

So why did Niall, in contrast to so many other managers, make the break? Is he crazy? Or a hero? One of thousands? Perfect for a chapter of a book? By now, I’m convinced Niall’s decision was neither particularly daring nor mad. Niall has merely already arrived in the working world of the future — as have millions of others. A future in which people are autonomously and continually seeking new challenges that align with their own ideas and inclinations. They want to change the world around them. Follow their enthusiasm. Because in today’s world, even the highest status is no longer a guarantee of security. And that’s precisely what creates freedom.

If you want certainty, do something wayward.

And follow your strengths.

From production to strategy — across all levels, working structures are dissolving faster than you can say “job security”. I still remember a conversation I had with a personnel manager a few years ago. He was telling me that he always sat down with his high-potential new recruits on their first day and worked out a ten-year career development plan with them. Nowadays, all he can do is sigh and shrug his shoulders at the thought. That’s a thing of the past. Driven by digitalization, climate change and new business models, companies have been forced to continually dismantle and redesign their structures, teams and positions. And according to Sven Seidel, a CEO I’ve been sharing ideas with for years, “nowadays, change in the business context no longer has a beginning or an end — it’s constant”.

Constant change is reducing learned certainties. Streamlined careers are fizzling out. On top of that, digitalization and agile, flexible and home working have eroded quite a few insignia of power. Instead of encountering one another in the boardroom, the secretary’s office, the company car park or the management canteen, we now meet in little boxes on Zoom or Microsoft Teams, all the same size. Maybe we employers and managers aren’t standing naked in front of our teams like the proverbial emperor just yet, but we’ve already lost quite a few of our clothes. And if, like Niall, we recalibrate our compass and point the needle towards “values and meaning”, we’ll win our freedom, and plenty of happiness to boot.

Niall could have kept following the time-honoured path — and if his company, for whatever reason, had wished to part ways with him, he would surely have had a soft landing. But he seized the opportunities in change. And, like many other people, he asked himself what inspires him, where he wants to go in his development, and what it is that drives him. Niall realized that, despite money, influence and status, he wasn’t satisfied anymore. So he started looking for a new sphere of activity congenial to his strengths. He decided that this time he would look at a broader palette of options, so he could find the best way of developing himself.

In the new world, we can all take this step if we want to. Opting out and launching a start-up is just as realistic as building your corporate career where you are. It all comes down to your passion. The question of what makes your heart beat faster.

So maybe now you’re thinking: Niall’s story is all very well and good, but it’s the story of a white man with fingers in pies and financial reserves. Someone who’s part of the elite. This puts me in mind of a woman I know. Definitely not part of the old world, and also full of passion.

IT’S A HOT DAY IN BERLIN. Saba and I are walking together across the grounds of the Film Union on the edge of the city. I’m so glad she made it here. Saba comes from Karachi. And the pandemic has made travelling extremely difficult, especially if you’re planning to travel from countries like Pakistan. We pass the film and sound studios, heading for Hall 10, where today everything’s focused on the theme “The Future of Social Impact Post Covid-19”. The air in the glass building is stuffy. Saba has graced many stages across the world, but she seems tense. Because today isn’t just about her — it’s about her mission.

Saba is a journalist and technology entrepreneur. Through Aurat Raaj, her social enterprise in Pakistan, she campaigns for the rights of girls and women. This endeavour is not without its dangers in a country where activists are threatened, and honour killings — though illegal — are still happening. Because people are apparently wearing the wrong clothes, loving the wrong people, or campaigning for the wrong things.

The burning issue for Saba is this: how can I provide girls and women — especially those who live in the countryside — with information about their bodies? According to Saba, menstruation is particularly taboo; one in two girls don’t know what’s happening to them when they get their first period. They feel dirty and ashamed, they hide at home and don’t go to school — perhaps they never will again. Almost 80 per cent of girls in Pakistan know very little about their bodily cycles, let alone about tampons, sanitary towels or menstruation cups.

At the beginning of my journey as a social entrepreneur, I took stock of my professional life so far: Am I doing things that are important to me? Am I nudging my country in a positive direction? After that, I realized I wanted to forge a new path for myself. SABA KHALID

It took Saba a while to find the right tool with which to reach young women. Not a blog, as she had initially envisaged, with articles and photos on every possible issue around female health. Not an app, either, as girls would have to have their own phone in the first place — and particularly as information alone just doesn’t cut it. The more Saba thought about the issue, the better she understood how difficult it is for girls and women to have confidential conversations. And how few opportunities there are to ask intimate questions. Eventually, Saba created Raaji, a chatbot which looks like a Pakistani girl and focuses on the topics of menstruation and hygiene. The biggest challenge is making the chatbot easy to use. Meanwhile, Raaji is being used in sex education in schools, and, after an introduction, every female pupil can ask it very personal questions — discretely, anonymously and (as it were) privately. The girls don’t have to provide any personal data, conversations aren’t stored anywhere, and if the AI picks up on any imminent danger, a psychologist intervenes.

Despite quite a few hurdles over the past few years, Saba refuses to be deterred from her goal of improving the lives of girls in her country. So far, no one’s managed to take the fight out of her — fundamentalist fanatics no more so than corporate headhunters. Saba has already received various prizes and awards, and many of the big (tech) companies have identified her as a hire offering good PR and tried to woo her away. But Saba prefers building her own world, continually developing her ideas within her organization and travelling back and forth between rural Pakistan and the rest of the globe. She listens to people, and asks girls and women: How can I reach you? What exactly do you need? What else would help you? One minute she’s creating a comic series, the next she’s joining a charity or helping with programmes run by social enterprises she has links with.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that Saba is open-minded about which products and services her company needs to offer for it to be successful. She’s very flexible when it comes to changing direction, but her activities are always guided by two key questions: The question of purpose — will my work really improve the lives of young girls and women in my country, and can I motivate women to engage in the same way and set up their own social business? And the question of pleasure — do I enjoy my work? Does it give me strength or awaken my curiosity? Saba is a technophile: she feels connected to the global femtech community and goes out on a limb to promote, with the aid of technologies, a healthier, fairer world oriented towards the common good.

Saba and her work are extraordinary, but they also reflect the reality of an entire generation. All over the world, in countries both rich and poor, young people are making career choices guided by their convictions. In Pakistan alone, for example, an active social entrepreneurial scene has emerged over the past few years: in the most recent survey of “The best countries to be a social entrepreneur”, by the Thompson Reuters Foundation in 2019, Pakistan came 14th out of 45 (seven places above countries like Germany, for example). The country is young — two thirds of its 210 million inhabitants are not even 30 yet —, and the idea of advancing the country and earning money at the same time appeals to many young adults. Nearly all universities have innovation centres that cooperate with either the public or private sector. But what’s helping above all is that people are aligning their work with a sense of purpose and an eagerness to find their bearings in a complex world — to go their own way.

In our discussion on the podium in Berlin, Saba deftly interweaves the personal search for purpose and the need for social and economic change, demonstrating the link between each individual and this new, self-reinventing world. This goes down a storm with the audience. Saba is somewhat embarrassed by the long applause.

Everyone’s been feeling the winds of change for a long time now. All over the world, people who are just entering the job market but don’t want to start their own business are increasingly looking for work that they feel is purposeful. Anna Kopp, a friend and leader at Microsoft, told me that every interview with young applicants revolves around the same three things. What is the purpose behind the company and the advertised position? Can I work flexibly? And what new things can I learn? For a long time now, companies have been responding by offering more than just good pay along with bonuses and perks. They’ve been increasingly giving people opportunities to work autonomously and achieve greater self-efficacy.

But as values are shifting, young people today are not simply more idealistic than previous generations. Approaching social problems differently, and trying to find better solutions, has multi-billion potential — even conventional companies are increasingly coming round to this realization. Even though — let’s not deceive ourselves — the old-world defenders of the status quo still wield power in many places.