SUMMER ' 18
Evolutionary biologist and author Dr. Tamsin Woolley-Barker is on a mission to change how companies work by tapping the power of nature— an emerging field called biomimicry.“ Biomimicry is the art and science of innovation inspired by nature,” she says.“ Every creature alive has been shaped by 3.8 billion years of R & D. Anything that failed is a fossil, and the survivors are proven winners. There is so much we can learn— nature really is a bottomless treasure trove of innovation.”
Fortune magazine agrees, calling Biomimicry the # 1 trend in business. GeckSkin’ s reusable tape was inspired by geckos, Velcro mimics sticky seed burrs, and Michael Phelps’ swimsuits were patterned on sharkskin. But biomimicry is inspiring more than just products. It’ s also a great way to design organizations as well.“ After ten years working with Fortune 500s, I’ ve been surprised by the level of inertia and frustration,” says Dr. Woolley-Barker.“ Engineers and designers get superexcited about the work we do, but game-changing ideas often go nowhere because these companies aren’ t designed to change. Creative people get resigned to the status quo and disengage or move on.”
Dr. Woolley-Barker wants to change that. Her book TEEMING: How Superorganisms Work to Build Infinite Wealth in a Finite World draws on the simple principles used by nature’ s most ancient and successful organizations to survive and thrive. How do ants and honeybees work together in a changing world? How can we redesign our companies to do the same?
“ These teams innovate and grow in value from one generation to the next, with no org chart, meetings, or managers,” says Woolley-Barker.“ The 4Ds start with People— and the ants do too! We often assume ants are a clone army, but that couldn’ t be further from the truth. Each one has its own personality and skills. You can tell individuals apart by their behavior.”
Every individual does whatever they think best in the moment, using their own style and approach, and it turns out this is the root of their success. Gathering diversity is a queen ant’ s first and most important job, and the colony will fail without it. But the most critical factor behind a beehive’ s success is their shared purpose. They are bound together by their drive to grow the future and make more with each generation.
Companies can apply these same lessons. Like ants, we can focus on building cultures that embrace change as a source of inspiration. We can cultivate diversity and experimentation, encourage individual freedom and initiative, and design rhythms and habits that keep people aligned around a compelling shared purpose. When our work matters and we feel empowered, companies flourish like the growing living things they are meant to be. Scaling up comes naturally.
MEET TAMSIN WOOLLEY-BARKER
Dr. Tamsin Woolley-Barker is a BioInspired Innovation Consultant, Researcher, Professor, and Author. She is an independent Biologist at the Design Table with organizations like Biomimicry 3.8 and the Biomimicry Institute, and a frequent contributor for The Biomimicry Institute ' s AskNature website. Her book, TEEMING: How Superorganisms Work for Infinite Wealth in a Finite World is available from White Cloud Press.
Her passion for living systems is complimented by an extensive background in business, design, and sustainability, with 12 years as co-founder and CEO of a successful Media Arts company, sold in 2011. She has worked in Biotechnology Marketing, Corporate Sustainability Reporting, Leadership Development, and as the Content Developer for the California Association of Museums’ groundbreaking Green Museums Initiative, a program which has since gone national.
A prolific writer, she contributes regularly to various magazines, including ' Digital Magazine of the Year ' finalist Zygote Quarterly, Triple Pundit, and GreenBiz. Her regular column,‘ The Biomimicry Manual,’ appears on Inhabitat. com, a sustainable design magazine with a circulation of over 3 million. www. drtamsin. com