I always find it liberating to think that a new year is often a chance for us to set and achieve some really inspirational goals. Perhaps it is a side effect of the hectic year-end schedule of Christmas functions, demanding work deadlines and the impending forced time with some interesting family members! In addition toRead more
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Our world is obsessed with data and efficiency. We justify what we are doing ‘because it is rational’; logic tells us it ‘should work’ and it’s, therefore, less risky. In most businesses, this means that rational ideas are the only ideas that see the light of day. A rational idea is justified by basic cost-benefitRead more
What do you assume about this article before you have even read it? That it is going to be full of useful concepts? That it will be amusing? Or a waste of time? Our assumptions drive our world. They set our expectations about how we imagine the world will behave – from what is possibleRead more
For your organisation to grow and stay relevant, innovation is crucial. And an important requirement for innovation is creativity, as innovation is the implementation of creative ideas. But for creativity to flourish, you need your employees to speak up, to have a voice, and to share knowledge – which may be issues or problems theyRead more
Demanding that someone change their behaviour is as frustrating as trying to accelerate your car out of quicksand. The more you put your foot down, the further you sink in. The reason why is because all humans have an innate psychological need for autonomy. Autonomy is a desire to feel in control of our ownRead more
Let’s face it, innovation is a tricky game. It requires patience and persistence and often comes with many unexpected challenges along the way. If you’re responsible for driving innovation in your organisation, I’m sure you find it a tough slog at times. And I’m guessing that you’d welcome any inspiration that keeps you tracking andRead more
Failure, the f-word most of us find more devastating than the one that instantly came to mind! It often sparks dread and fear. Yet one of my memorable takeaways from our recent Masterclass, where I spoke to some of the category winners from this year’s AFR Boss Most Innovative Companies Awards, was the founding story ofRead more
Every minute of every workday, there are several (or, in fact, many) managers who are inadvertently killing their team’s productivity. They are doing this through expecting their team to be at their beck and call, responding to IMs or emails within a few minutes. They do this by constantly interrupting their team – because it’sRead more
“How do I find time for innovation in my organisation?” This question comes up a lot, working at an innovation consultancy like Inventium. And I wish I could give you a definitive answer. The problem is there is no one-size-fits-all solution. There are only 40 (or a bit less) hours in a working week. YouRead more
On the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, I unleashed my inner nerd and immersed in a weekend of binge-watching of “Chasing the Moon”. Heaven! Five decades later, I was still mesmerised by Apollo 11 hurtling a total of 953,054 miles to the moon and back. And it inspired me to think about the lessons weRead more