Route Notes is a podcast for public health professionals, nonprofit leaders, educators, and changemakers navigating the real work of leadership in complex systems.
We’ve spent years working alongside leaders in public health, education, nonprofits, and advocacy. From board rooms to back roads, the challenges are always complex.
Route Notes shares stories, strategies, and lessons we’ve learned along the way—and introduces you to the people who’ve helped us navigate the terrain.
Because maps are made from the journeys behind us—not the road ahead.
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Route Notes is a podcast for public health professionals, nonprofit leaders, educators, and changemakers navigating the real work of leadership in complex systems.
We’ve spent years working alongside leaders in public health, education, nonprofits, and advocacy. From board rooms to back roads, the challenges are always complex.
Route Notes shares stories, strategies, and lessons we’ve learned along the way—and introduces you to the people who’ve helped us navigate the terrain.
Because maps are made from the journeys behind us—not the road ahead.
Episode 6: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel? Maybe You Should.
Route Notes
32 minutes 29 seconds
4 months ago
Episode 6: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel? Maybe You Should.
You’ve heard the phrase. You’ve probably said it: “Let’s not reinvent the wheel.”But what if that mindset is keeping us from real solutions?
In this episode, Wes and David take a hard look at the cliché—and argue that relying too heavily on other people’s answers can actually short-circuit innovation, especially in rural communities and complex systems.
They unpack:
Why “not reinventing the wheel” can be lazy leadership
The dangers of assuming sameness in community solutions
How starting from scratch invites creativity, ownership, and context
Why borrowing policies and plans can erode public trust
The power of starting with a blank sheet and local wisdom
This one’s for the leaders who are tired of copy-paste planning and want to build strategies that actually fit their communities.
Route Notes
Route Notes is a podcast for public health professionals, nonprofit leaders, educators, and changemakers navigating the real work of leadership in complex systems.
We’ve spent years working alongside leaders in public health, education, nonprofits, and advocacy. From board rooms to back roads, the challenges are always complex.
Route Notes shares stories, strategies, and lessons we’ve learned along the way—and introduces you to the people who’ve helped us navigate the terrain.
Because maps are made from the journeys behind us—not the road ahead.
