A beautiful third
This is a little backstory on how Canon Collaborative came into existence.
My name is Christine — and I am the founder of this gig and a first-generation college graduate who did not grow up feeling empowered in math and science. When I started this operation, I did not set out to develop any organizational theories or frameworks. My goal was to create a structure through which my strengths could move freely in the world, and support others in doing the same. At the time, my strengths and instincts were interested in organizing operations for the most optimized impact. For many years, I had believed that the most critical variable was interpersonal trust and learning about each other’s strengths as connected to the mission seemed like a wonderful way to build it.
While Canon has been formally in the world since 2020, it had been emerging since 2012 when first learning about my strengths helped me understand my own burnout. I loved my life-draining job; I felt powerful and alive on a regular basis. I can now pinpoint which strengths were liberated — and which ones weren’t. Organizational trust had gone from bad to worse, and it became clear thriving conditions were long gone. In the early days of sketching out what my business (aka personal structure for my strengths to move) could look like, I envisioned a nature-inspired brand for two reasons: 1) a strength is defined as something innate and natural, and 2) my burnout healing was catalyzed on the exquisite natural landscape of South Africa.
Eventually, I would discover a beautiful third reason: the best route to organizing and creating effective structure is found in the natural world.
While researching the Fibonacci sequence, patterns in nature, and the golden ratio – I stumbled across something called the Constructal Law that would open my eyes to a universal map to flourishing. And on down a rabbit hole into learning physics for the first time in my life at age 35. It was just a few months later that I would reach out to the law’s discoverer, my now friend and mentor, Adrian Bejan. Growing up under the horrific destruction of World War II, Bejan understands more than most the importance of honoring and releasing our one-of-a-kind human spirit in the world.
Our nature-inspired framework for individual and collective empowerment was debuted at the 12th and 14th Constructal Law Conferences in Italy and Romania, where this work was formally recognized as the first in humanizing the Constructal Law. Our approach bridges this law of physics with positive psychology — connecting human strength with living system science in the workplace and beyond. With work claiming so much of our lives, we believe it’s the best place to revolutionize our experience in ways that matter to our happiness, fulfillment, and survival.
Through this perspective, we believe that wellbeing and success are two sides of the same coin – just like a tree working to bear fruit. Reach out to learn more and begin your Grounding Journey.
About
Canon Collaborative is on a mission to create positive change in the world through revolutionizing experience at work. We partner with innovative, purpose-driven individuals and organizations to establish and steward a foundation of strength. Our nature-inspired approach brings focus on wellbeing, creativity, and collaboration. Learn more about the heart of our work.
