Over the past year CTLF has been thoughtfully exploring regenerative principles and incorporating them into our community. This shift to a more regenerative business model culminated in Matt Stinchcomb’s address at the CEO Forum and complementary field guide from that event, and in our exciting partnership with nRhythm, one of the foremost thought leaders on regenerative principles in the nation.

So, why is CTLF so committed to the regenerative model as a critical component of success—not only as it relates to HEART-level leadership, but as a critical driver of business health and prosperity in the 21st century?

As in nature, we believe every person when they are truly thriving in the role they are meant to do contributes to the overall health of any organization’s ecosystem, helping to maintain a natural balance that promotes healthy growth—personally and professionally. Every individual part thrives in the whole. Outcomes are abundant and resilient, far beyond what can be produced in an environment marked by rigid control and limited contribution.

Put another way, think of your business or organization as an organic ecosystem like a farm. Even the casual observer of agricultural practices knows that one cannot continue to extract yields from the same plot of land without returning nutrients back to the soil for the next year’s crop. Materials, processes, and interactions with other organisms in the ecosystem all play an interconnected role in maintaining the naturally occurring health of the production environment—the culture, if you will.

In the months to come, we will be providing a steady supply thought leadership content around what it means to be a regenerative business and the impact it can have on your company and your community. Here is a brief overview of each of the six regenerative principles we will be expounding upon:

Developmental
Regenerative businesses promote the growth and health of all members. We recognize that all members of living systems are in constant growth and development and that the health of system is dependent on the health of its members. We design and operate our organizations in a way that creates the conditions for all members to grow and thrive in harmony with the system.

Nodal
Regenerative businesses are decentralized and distributed. We recognize that living systems are not centrally controlled and organized and that resources and functions are distributed throughout the entire system. We design and operate our organizations in a way that does not rely on centralized command and control structures and allows all members of the system to be resourced, empowered decision-makers.

Evolutionary
Regenerative businesses maintain a dynamic balance with ever-changing environmental conditions. We recognize that life creates the conditions for life. We design and operate in a way that both responds to and also creates change in our organizational environment to maintain a dynamic balance with constant change.

Uniqueness
Regenerative businesses are original and understand the value of individual genius. We recognize that each living system and every member of the system is unique and expresses their individual genius. We design and operate our organizations in a way that fosters the expression of the genius of all members within the greater context and purpose of the organization.

Interdependence
Regenerative businesses respect the inherent value of all relationships. We recognize that in living systems, regeneration, resilience, and abundance emerge from the diversity of interdependent relationships of all kinds within that system. We design and operate our organizations in a way that recognizes the complexity of our deep interdependence with our clients, suppliers, partners, and even competitors.

Holism
Regenerative businesses understand that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. We recognize that in living systems, regeneration and life can only be understood when viewing the system as a whole. We design and operate in a way that values the entirety of the system and creates conditions for abundance, resilience, and impact to emerge from the interdependent contributions of all team members, clients, and partners.

We invite you to learn more about the power of regenerative business in the weeks to come. Watch your inbox for deeper dives into each of these principles as part of our monthly CTLF newsletters.

Click here for resources to help in beginning and/or strengthening your journey into regenerative business.