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Regenerative Thinking
Regenerative thinking is about creating the conditions for thriving systems, finding a balance between seeking positive outcomes and avoiding unintended consequences. Regenerators understand that life creates life. They shift from a focus on linear growth to a cyclical mindset, accepting that everything ends. Regenerative thinkers know that endings are beginnings.
Design Thinking
Design thinking is about harnessing creativity in order to foster collaboration and solve problems. It is about constant iteration and taking a human-centered approach. Design thinkers remain open and curious. They find opportunities in ambiguity and uncertainty.
Systems Thinking
Systems thinking is about seeing the connections between all parts of a system and recognizing the emergent outcomes of relationships and interactions. Systems thinkers understand that systems are more than the sum of their parts. They know how to intervene skillfully in order to produce better outcomes.
Futures Thinking
Futures thinking is about understanding that the future is not fixed, but instead that it can be shaped by the decisions that we make today and that we have agency in the emerging future. It is about radical imagination, envisioning (im)possibilities, and charting paths towards that vision.
West
The West represents autumn, the season of harvest and abundance. In this phase, we gather together to share the fruits of our labor and celebrate what we’ve accomplished.
South
The South represents summer, a time of busyness, focus, and hard work. In this phase, we harness our sense of focus in order to fully develop the projects we’re working on.
East
The East represents spring, the season of fresh possibilities and excited beginnings. In this phase, we turn inspiration and ideas into plans, in order to activate and motivate ourselves and others.
North
The North represents winter, a time of dormancy, rest, and transition. In this phase, we reflect upon and integrate our learnings in order to prepare for what comes next.
Why Responsible Innovation?
Increase Business Resilience
Regulations and transparency expectations regarding environmental impacts are becoming increasingly strict. You can mitigate risks and protect your reputation by proactively reducing emissions, avoiding environmental damages, and working with certified sustainable partners and suppliers.
Engage Stakeholders
Employees, customers, and business partners all prefer to work with organizations that genuinely care. Responsible innovation builds alliances and attracts talent, helping you build trusting relationships with the people engaging with you and your products or services.
Lead with Purpose
We all want to live in a thriving world, and your business can be a powerful force for good. Responsible innovation only succeeds under leadership that strives to do what is right, even under contrarian pressures.
The Future We Create
Europe stands at a crossroads. Between stagnation and reinvention. Between short-term thinking and a bold vision for the future. The next major transformation won’t be driven by technology alone, but by how we collaborate. Europe moves forward when it moves together.
Trustworthy AI systems need ethical guardrails from the start. Clean energy requires faster systemic change. Strong ethics call for life-centered decisions that protect the planet for future generations. This isn’t just about technology, it’s about courage and cooperation.
By fusing ethical AI with sustainability, Europe won’t just drive progress—it will advance well-being. This demands bold leadership to set a new global standard. The future is not a given. It is something we create together.
Colofon
The strategic and creative development of WITHIN and The 8 Crafts Field Guide to Responsible Innovation was initiated by co-founders Franklin de Bekker and Patrick Leenheers. We were supported by a group of inspiring thought leaders and creatives.
- Art direction & identity: Bas Koopmans (Wellness)
- UX: Maarten van Sprang and Franklin de Bekker
- Digital design & no-code development: Rick Bossenbroek (Uncode)
- Illustrations: Lennart Kok
- Photography: Elmer Driessen
- Editorial copy: Christina Williams (Liminal-stories)
- Editorial images: Marcel C. de Vries (Studio Superaarde)
- General support: members of The Collective
- Overall concept & strategy: Franklin de Bekker and Patrick Leenheers (WITHIN)
The 8 Crafts’ Origin Story
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The 8 Crafts: a practical guide for changemakers
The 8 Crafts Field Guide is your map for leading change. It helps you navigate uncertainty, align your team, and make meaningful progress, whether you’re starting something new, scaling impact, or closing a chapter.
The framework follows a natural rhythm, just like seasons, change has its cycles. Some moments call for imagination, others for action. Some require wisdom, others collaboration. The 8 Crafts give you the right tools at the right time.
Ancient Rules, Modern Guidance
The 8 Crafts are structured around the four cardinal directions; North, East, South, and West, mirroring the rhythm of seasons, the stages of an initiative, or even the cycle of a career.
Every system needs creators, explorers, decision-makers, and connectors. The 8 Crafts reflect these roles, helping you approach change with more clarity and confidence.
North: reflect and imagine
In the North, winter reigns. This is the space of deep reflection, where seeds of new ideas lie dormant before they sprout. It’s where leaders challenge assumptions, reframe problems, and set the foundation for bold thinking.
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Craft 1. Artist
Imagine a Reframe - Artists introduce new perspectives. They see what others miss and help teams shift narratives. Whether through storytelling, design, or strategy, they reframe the world, not just to inspire but to unlock new possibilities and shape what’s next.
East: explore and observe
Spring arrives in the East. The sun rises, possibilities emerge, and big ideas start to take form. This is where research, trend analysis, and strategic foresight shape opportunities into actionable insights, with strategic planning and systems thinking.
Craft 2: Explorer
Find Pathways - Explorers scan the horizon. They map trends, emerging technologies, and bold possibilities, helping teams chart the right course forward. Their skill isn’t just seeing what’s next but translating uncertainty into strategic direction, ensuring innovation moves with clarity, not chaos.
Craft 3: Gardener
Sense the system - Gardeners root innovation in reality. They focus on the bigger ecosystem; people, resources, and the environment, ensuring that what’s built is sustainable. Without their work, ideas risk being disconnected. With it, change becomes adaptive, grounded, and ready to thrive.
South: navigate and execute
Summer in the South is about doing. Hard work, execution, and momentum. This is the phase of prototyping, testing, and iterating, turning strategy into tangible outcomes. This is where decisions are made and bold actions take shape.
Craft 4: Elder
Decide Wisely - Elders bring long-term wisdom. They challenge short-term thinking, ensuring decisions serve future generations. Their role isn’t just making choices; it’s integrating unseen voices, questioning blind spots, and guiding change in ways that are ethical, sustainable, and meaningful.
Craft 5: Maker
Care to Fail - Makers step into action. They embrace the messy, iterative process of testing, learning, and refining. Failure isn’t a setback—it’s part of the work. By designing, building, and improving, Makers turn ideas into tangible realities that are both effective and responsible.
West: collaborate and amplify
In the West, autumn arrives. The harvest season, when we gather, celebrate, and share. This is where ideas gain traction, teams and communities align, and solutions scale, ensuring innovation is embedded, adopted, and amplified.
Craft 6: Convener
Foster Collaboration - Conveners bring people together. They create trust between diverse groups, helping align visions, settle conflicts, and co-create solutions. Their craft is about connection—not just networking, but building spaces where real collaboration leads to meaningful change
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Craft 7: Catalyst
Bloom and Spread - Catalysts fuel organic growth. They don’t control expansion; they nurture it—mirroring how networks like fungi or movements spread. Their craft is about scaling ideas in ways that feel natural, adaptive, and sustainable, ensuring that impact grows without exploitation.
Back to North: reflect and imagine
The wheel comes full circle, returning to the North. Here, we face endings, but also beginnings. Most systems struggle with closure, yet respectful endings are crucial for renewal.
Craft 8: Doula
End to Begin - Doulas guide transitions with care. They help teams close chapters, whether it’s ending projects, restructuring, or retiring outdated models. Their work ensures that endings are not failures but stepping stones—creating space for renewal, learning, and the next cycle of growth.
A Circular Practice
Change doesn’t follow a straight path. It’s a cycle of learning, adapting, and evolving. The 8 Crafts are here to guide you through every phase, whether you’re starting a project, leading a team, or transforming a system.
Walk the wheel. Find your role. Lead with intention.
Futures Thinking
Futures thinking is about understanding that the future is not fixed, but instead that it can be shaped by the decisions that we make today and that we have agency in the emerging future.
Systems Thinking
Systems thinking is about seeing the connections between all parts of a system and recognizing that what we see as problems are the emergent outcomes of a deeper dynamic.
Design Thinking
Design thinking is about harnessing creativity in order to foster collaboration and solve problems. It is about constant iteration and taking a human-centered approach.
Regenerative Thinking
Regenerative thinking is about creating the conditions for thriving systems, finding a balance between seeking positive outcomes and avoiding unintended consequences.
North:
reflect & imagine
The North represents winter, the season of unseen beginnings, where seeds take root before sprouting. This is the space for big questions, bold ideas, and the quiet work of reimagining what’s possible.
East:
explore & observe
The East represents spring, the season of emergence. The sun rises, ideas take shape, and clarity unfolds. This is where inspiration turns into intention, through curiosity, systems thinking, and careful mapping.
South:
navigate & execute
The South represents summer, the season of doing, long days, focused work, and steady momentum. This is where ideas are built, tested, and refined, where strategy meets action.
West:
collaborate & amplify
The West represents autumn, the season of harvest, a time to gather, share, and celebrate progress. It’s where insights are exchanged, impact is multiplied, and letting go makes space for what’s next.
Build Your Community
Of Craft
Change happens faster when people move together. The 8 Crafts provide a shared language and practical tools to help your team solve complex challenges, collaboratively and with intention.
Assemble your team
Gather core team members, sponsors, and key stakeholders to define what you’re solving, who’s involved, and why it matters. Set shared intentions.
Assess and reflect
Take our guided self-assessments, Evaluate where your change initiative stands, uncover blind spots, and get tailored insights from The 8 Crafts.
Apply and grow
Use the Field Guide to put ideas into action. Test, adapt, and refine your approach as your team builds momentum, together
Identify Your Next Step
Where do you stand on your journey towards responsible innovation? Take a quick assessment to find the right tool for your project or get clarity on your leadership.
Drive your innovation initiative
Get a structured assessment to identify where you are and what’s needed to move forward.
Unlock your leadership potential
Take a self-assessment to reflect on your growth and get tailored insights from The 8 Crafts.
Is your business driving change?
Future-proof your business. Assess how well your organization integrates long-term impact into strategy and decision-making.
"The 8 Crafts model offers inspiration, perspectives, and tools to drive innovation in diverse ways. It helps professionals discover their most natural, effective approach to solving challenges with impact and creativity."
"WITHIN facilitated a program in which we co-created our strategic narrative, whilst also building team cohesion and individual leadership. We ended up with a winning plan, backed by a strong team that is ready to execute."
“WITHIN boosted our competency to drive change at KLM. Their approach breaks from traditional consultancy by making learning experiential, palpable almost. The 8 Crafts will help us become the frontrunner airline we aspire to be. ”
"For four years they facilitated the yearly CEO summit of the World Port Climate Action Program. We saw a noticeable increase in leaders' personal power, and in the ambition and impact of the initiatives in the program.”
Answers for your questions
The 8 Crafts Field Guide is a hands-on resource for change leaders. It blends stories, tools, and leadership practices from business, design, art, nature, and the humanities. Each Craft offers a unique perspective on transformation—broad in scope, yet practical in application. Start by taking the assessment to get tailored guidance and accelerate your impact.
The 8 Crafts were developed by Franklin de Bekker and Patrick Leenheers, co-founders of WITHIN. They began with their own experience, consulted 100+ experts, and built this framework to capture the most effective approaches to leadership and change. What started as a personal exploration became a practical guide for others.
If you’re leading a team through uncertainty—whether in business, government, or the social sector—the 8 Crafts help you navigate complexity and strengthen your leadership. Unlike rigid frameworks, they blend logic with emotional and intuitive intelligence, making you a more adaptable and confident leader.
The 8 Crafts are designed for complex, interconnected challenges with no easy answers. Leaders use them in diverse settings—from sustainability strategies at an airline to cultural transformation in the arts sector.
The Field Guide isn’t a rigid process—it’s a set of tested tools for navigating real-world complexity. Whether you’re planning, stuck, or scaling up, you’ll find relevant tools for your situation. Start with the scorecard to assess your project, then apply the tools that best fit your needs.
The 8 Crafts aren’t personality types or archetypes—they’re capabilities for driving change. Think of them as qualities you can develop and apply in different contexts, rather than fixed labels.
Yes. The Field Guide is designed for real-world application. You can use its tools in strategy sessions, team development, and innovation processes. The Crafts are open-source, meaning you can adapt and integrate them into your work freely. Want to connect with others using The 8 Crafts? Join our growing community—sign up for the waiting list.
Getting started is easy. Take our free scorecard assessment to get a personalized roadmap for using The 8 Crafts in your work. In just a few minutes, you’ll identify your strengths, uncover gaps, and discover the most relevant tools to accelerate your impact.