2014 has been a great year for 6heads! We’ve introduced regular monthly events, we’ve had beautiful walks and talks in the UK country-side, we have swung from trapezes to explore liminal space, we’ve played at setting up a festival to extend our knowledge on systems, we’ve found wisdom on the Southbank and we’ve interrogated the narratives that underpin the stories we tell. We’ve met wonderful new people, been inspired, explored new concepts and laughed, a lot.

On the separate, advisory side we’ve continued our work with inspired corporate clients, including Interface and M&S, to explore new ways of doing business. Here, we’ve focused on the circular economy and how to create commercial, restorative solutions through creative use of ‘waste’. In addition, we’ve started working with a number of new concepts to help grow disruptors to traditional business. We’re hoping to see insects as source of animal feed, a vibrant second hand clothing market and organic waste for heat.

As we look towards 2015 and the challenges and opportunities that we face in order to have a vibrant, equitable society on a healthy planet, we have to smile at Oprah’s words: “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right”. We’’d encourage all changemakers and changeseekers to:

Reflect on the past: There are many past stories of social revolutions that have led to better outcomes for humanity.  We can learn from the past to better drive forward change today. We can look into the transitions underpinning the introduction of soap, the abolition of slavery, the outlawing of CFC’s and the uptake of solar.

Feel gratitude for today: We can celebrate our achievements! We can recognise that – despite the challenges that still remain – we are living at an all time high for health and wellness: Infant and mortality rates have plummeted, diseases have been eradicated. Equity has been improved: Literacy is rising sharply and women (mostly) have a better deal. Within 100 years we’ve gone from the Wright brothers to landing 800 million miles away on a moon! We’ve got technologies now that can power us forward in completely different ways to those from the beginning of the century – we have solar, fuel cells and algae.

Attract a positive future: There are more and more examples of society and (that peculiar social construct) business, operating in ways that are positive and restorative. Let’s shift our focus from trying to reduce, report and review – and invite a rethink to how we can better service our basic needs and those of future generations. How can we get the food, energy, habitats, water and clothing we need in ways that make the world better? Can we wear plastic that has been taken out of the oceans? Can we power our homes on organic waste? Can we live in homes that provide energy back to the grid? Perhaps, the best we can do is to interrogate the work we are asked to do to reframe it against a restorative agenda, to actively seek out those products and services that are centrered on purpose and to keep asking questions.

Perhaps this thinking can lead to fresh, inspired resolutions for a positive, active and generative 2015?

We look forward to learning with you in 2015.

Our first event is on 14^th January where we will be developing our mandate and programme for the year. We’d love to have you along and, in particular, would encourage you to work with us to bring your own knowledge and learning to the community through co-developing an event or writing a blog. Please do get in touch if you’d like to join – info@6-heads.com

Thank you for being a part of our community.

Best wishes for 2015.

The Heads