I’m fascinated by Evolution. I think that the theory of natural selection proposed by Charles Darwin is the closest thing that we have to a Theory of Everything. It explains all things human, from how our eyes evolved to what we find beautiful. One of the curious – and controversial – realities that underpin our understanding of Evolution is that it’s unplanned. Genes accidentally mutate, and those changes either confer a reproductive advantage or they don’t. If they do, we will see more of those genes. If they don’t, they literally die out. It’s as simple and as mercenary as that.
There is no hidden hand guiding Evolution. It’s a mechanistic but mindless process. This puts it into stark contrast with Reinvention. Reinvention has to be intentional for it to succeed. People don’t reinvent themselves – and companies certainly don’t – as a result of a random mutation. People and leaders *decide* to reinvent themselves – and then make it happen.
If Evolution is, as someone once described, progress without planning, then Reinvention is progress *with* planning. Or, to put it another way,
Reinvention = Evolution, Reinvented.
