The Courage to Co-Create: Collaborative Problem Solving through the S.O.L.V.E. Framework

A Sankore Perspective on Innovation, Inclusion, and Systems Change

“Innovation isn’t an individual act of genius — it’s a collective act of courage.”

We talk about collaboration as if it’s natural — but in most organizations, it’s anything but. True collaboration requires slowing down enough to listen, opening the circle to new voices, and letting go of control long enough to let creativity emerge.

At Sankore, we call this process S.O.L.V.E. — See the System, Open the Circle, Liberate Ideas, Vet + Validate, Embed + Evolve. t’s more than a framework; it’s a mindset of continuous learning where problems become pathways to innovation.

S: See the System: Look Beyond the Surface

Most problems aren’t people problems — they’re pattern problems. Leaders who “see the system” trace issues back to the policies, habits, and assumptions that create them. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, leaders who intentionally map systems before acting are 30% more likely to implement sustainable solutions.

Seeing the system transforms blame into understanding — the foundation of real change.

O: Open the Circle: Innovation Needs More Voices

Equity and innovation are born from the same root: inclusion. When we “open the circle,” we invite those closest to the impact of a problem into the process of defining and solving it. Collaboration becomes a design tool — not a courtesy.

“If the people affected by the problem aren’t shaping the solution, we’re not solving — we’re guessing.”

L: Liberate Ideas: Creativity Is Collective Courage

Many teams say they value creativity, but few create the conditions for it. Liberating ideas means suspending judgment long enough to explore the unconventional. In the S.O.L.V.E. model, innovation isn’t a brainstorm — it’s a brave space for questioning the status quo and inviting imagination.

V : Vet + Validate: Learn Fast, Adjust Together

Collaboration without iteration is chaos; iteration without collaboration is arrogance. The Vet + Validate step helps leaders test quickly, learn publicly, and adapt continuously. This is where reflection meets experimentation — small pilots, feedback loops, and data-informed decisions.

Perfectionism is the enemy of progress. Prototyping keeps innovation alive.

E — Embed + Evolve: Make Innovation a Habit

Sustainable innovation doesn’t happen through one-off projects — it happens through continuous reflection and adaptation. To “embed and evolve” is to integrate lessons learned into systems, policies, and culture. It’s how courageous collaboration becomes institutional transformation.

Every organization has improvement cycles. The question is whether they’re intentional or accidental.

Reflection Prompt

• Where might your team be solving problems for people instead of with them?

• What’s one decision or process you could “open” to more perspectives this month?

• How could small, continuous pilots fuel bigger cultural change?

Closing Thought:

“Collaboration is innovation in motion.”

When we See, Open, Liberate, Vet, and Evolve, we turn our workplaces into living systems — capable of learning, improving, and transforming together.

To continue exploring equity-centered innovation, visit the Sankore Blog for upcoming reflections on Interrupting Bias, Emotional Intelligence at Work, and Equitable Decision Making through Courageous Leadership.