“Freedom begins by saying ‘no’!”

At the weekend I was in a mall, waiting in the cash queue. I saw a mother trying hard to convince her kid to eat. The kid, whose linguistic abilities had recently begun to develop, suddenly said “NO” in force. The reaction of the mother indicated that it was the first “no” of the child. Instantly, the kid shrank his lips (act of rebellion) and the mother’s jaw dropped (astonishment). In that moment, the relationship between the mother and the kid took a new dimension. I should say that it has been an interesting observation for me.

Martin Luther (1453-1546) said that every liberation begins by saying “no”. The liberation that begins with a “no” should be respected and cherished. In fact, this is not only about the relationship between parents and children. Let’s think about it a little: How do we react to “no” as an answer in our society and environment?

First, I have to say that, as a society, we usually perceive “no” as a danger.  However, for every individual who does not want to be tied to a single way of thinking and who is open to innovation and development, “no” requires a constructive approach. Being open to innovation is an innate trait. For this reason, one should be able to tolerate objections in hierarchical relations, friendships, and even love affairs. Fear of “no” as an answer can often leave an impression of a trust issue in those who feel inadequate in life and take shelter in their own worldview, ignoring the new.

As the French diplomat, resister, and writer Stéphane Hessel said, by approaching constructively to “no” as an answer, we can perform our primary task to design the future world no matter how complex it may be and we can let the “new” come to light.

Innovation brings many key aspects to a country, it contributes to the long-term growth, provides employment and ensures that the country becomes or remains competitive. I believe profoundly, that as long as we have responsible innovation, the world will continue to advance. However the aspect of”The New” brings also culturally a certain skepticism with it. As an example the word”NEW” in English derives from the Latin word” Novitas” which also means”Strange”. It is maybe for this reason not surprising, that many societies feel more comfortable to develop an idea and make it better (evolutionary) vs. nurturing and embracing new innovation (revolutionary).

But what are the key elements or the grammar of evolution to ensure that innovation evolves? Here are 3 hints which are based on a discussion from Dr von Pierer and Dr. von Oetinger in the book ”Das Neue”.

The key elements to nurture innovation are:

1. A free spirit which, when exposed to global perspectives, is creative in producing original and diverse ideas .
2. We need a ” Wood – Barn” which is similar to what jazz musicians used to experiment and express themselves freely without judgment (a virtual Burn).
3. We need to be fully convinced and supportive of the power of creativity.