Season 1 : Episode 2

Tomás de Lara believes decentralized, peer-based innovation is the future of successful global businesses and communities. Like me, he sees that the old business paradigm of economic-driven competition is giving way to one of radical collaboration. Or, as he has called it, moving from EGOcentric culture to ECOcentric culture.

I caught up with him in Paris at Ouishare 2015, and he’s as passionate as ever about this more human mode of culture that draws on human spirit, emotions, and passions, rather than solely economic interaction. Tomás thinks of himself as a “netweaver,” someone who brings together different cultures, people, and energies to drive meaningful social and economic interactions.

On the show, Tomás discusses how GlobalShapers (a network of the World Economic Forum), connectors and instigators in South America are using the social web to collaborate online before reaching out to work with local communities that do not have access to the web.

As an example, he talks about Our Cities Network where those with access to the web have helped those who do not work together to pressure decision-makers, contribute ideas and share their talents to build more inclusive sustainable cities in South America and hopefully beyond.

Thinking through cultural change

The underlying theme of this show is very much how digital and social are the nexus of innovation. We now have new tools to collaborate and innovate. There are those connectors who are taking the freedom and empowerment that the web brings and using it to organize, to disrupt, to coordinate before reaching out to empower communities that don’t have access to the web.

Tomás’s energy and passion reflects the commitment of many instigators to bring communities together both locally and globally – glocally [sic] – to face the big challenges and it is inspiring. We need more of this and I hope our discussion on this week’s show will inspire you. I know that you may already be participating in glocal activities of your own. We’d love to hear from and Tomas and his ever-widening network of instigators are always keen to invite peers.

Connect and Weave

Make sure you connect with Tomás on Twitter.

Don’t miss Tomás’s talk from Ouishare 2014 where he breaks down the concepts of and transformational pathways toward EGOcentric culture to ECOcentric culture.