Innovation After the Fall – Why Letting Go Is the First Step to Real Growth
Want to Innovate? Start by Letting Something Die.
Most companies say they want change. But let’s be honest - they really want to keep everything the same and get different results.
But that’s not how transformation works. Growth doesn’t come from adding more layers to an outdated foundation. Sometimes, it comes from tearing it all down.
Death Isn’t the End. It’s the Invitation.
The word "death" might feel dramatic in a business blog. But hear us out: in nature, death creates space for rebirth. In business, it’s the same. Outdated systems, stale strategies, old mindsets - they all have to go before something new can emerge.
At Connected Business, we’ve lived this truth. When the pandemic hit, we lost nearly everything: clients, income, structure. And in that collapse, we found something we didn’t expect—clarity. We let the old version of our company die. What rose from the ashes was leaner, bolder, and far more aligned with our mission.
That wasn’t failure. That was freedom.
Why Innovation Needs a Funeral
Clinging to the Past Blocks the Future: You can’t drive with your eyes glued to the rearview mirror. If you want to innovate, you need to release what no longer fits.
Space Creates Possibility: Letting go creates breathing room - literally and psychologically. And space is where creativity lives.
Adaptation Builds Resilience: The more comfortable you become with letting go, the faster you can pivot when things shift. And they will shift.
But Let’s Be Real: Letting Go Is Scary
This is where psychological safety comes in. If people don’t feel safe to question the status quo, share uncomfortable truths, or admit they don’t know - nothing will change.
Psychological safety is the emotional foundation of transformation. Without it, innovation feels like a threat. With it, it becomes a shared adventure.
Here’s How to Create a Culture That Lets Go to Grow
Normalize Endings: Celebrate what served you, and release what doesn’t. Make it okay to say, “This isn’t working anymore.”
Build Psychological Safety: Create spaces where feedback is welcomed, vulnerability is respected, and mistakes are mined for insight. Want to dive deeper? Check out our blog on Psychological Safety and Innovation.
Embrace the Messy Middle: There’s a weird, in-between space between the old and the new. Don’t rush it. That’s where transformation actually happens.
Reward Curiosity Over Certainty: Innovation isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions - and being willing to sit with what comes up.
Model It From the Top: Leaders who own their uncertainty, evolve in public, and listen deeply make it safe for others to do the same.
The Future Is Built on What You’re Willing to Leave Behind
If we want to lead in a world of constant change, we have to get good at letting go. Of plans. Of egos. Of outdated identities.
Because on the other side of that “death” is not loss - it’s expansion.
Ready to explore what’s waiting on the other side of your own organizational letting go? Explore our Mindful Transformation Programs and let’s walk that path together.
One brave decision at a time.
