Trails Less Travelled: Innovation Lessons from former CEO and Chairman of Pitney Bowes, Michael Critelli Part 1

In this episode of ‘The Innovation Show,’ host Aidan McCullen sits down with the former chairman and CEO of Pitney Bowes, Michael Critelli.

Through a deep dive into Critelli’s career, we explore his penchant for the road less traveled, his transformative leadership at Pitney Bowes, and his insights on innovation, strategy, and foresight. From humble beginnings to leading a staple communications company through times of intense change, including the internet era, 9/11, and the recession, Critelli shares lessons on valuing potential over qualifications, listening to dissent, and the importance of constant adaptation in business and life.

00:00 Early Career and Joining Pitney Bowes

01:40 Climbing the Ladder: From Legal to Leadership

04:28 Reinventing Pitney Bowes: A Tale of Transformative Change

07:09 Embracing Agile Strategy: Lessons from the Front Lines

13:51 The Power of Listening and Adapting in Leadership

42:39 The Importance of Vision and Courage in Decision-Making 

44:47 Fostering a Culture of Continuous Learning and Innovation

Challenge-Driven Innovation with Bea Schofield

This episode of the Corporate Explorer series features a discussion with Bea Schofield, a specialist in Challenge-Driven Innovation (CDI), and various co-authors of the ‘Corporate Explorer Field Book’.

The podcast, supported by Wazoku, delves into how large organisations can foster innovation through a sustainable ecosystem using ‘Connected Collective Intelligence’. The conversation focuses on the principles of CDI, detailing a framework dubbed ‘LASSO’ for crafting effective challenges that stimulate creative solutions. It underscores the importance of setting clear boundaries to fuel creativity, ensuring challenges are actionable and specific, and aligning them with strategic goals to facilitate ownership and support within the organisation. The episode also covers strategic challenge framing, stakeholder engagement, solution evaluation, and prioritisation, offering insights into blending creativity with systematic processes for corporate innovation. Bea Schofield shares her perspective on the role of corporate innovators and the necessity of balancing ideation with execution to drive meaningful organisational change. 

00:00 Welcome to the Corporate Explorer Series: Launching the Field Book

00:15 Introducing Wazoku: Powering Sustainable Innovation

01:07 Diving Into the World of CDI with Bea Schofield

03:59 Exploring the LASSO Framework for Effective Challenges

07:44 The Importance of Support and Ownership in Innovation

17:19 Navigating Corporate Innovation: Strategies and Tools

20:41 Selecting the Right Channels for Innovation Challenges

21:58 Wrapping Up and Where to Find Bea Schofield

Corporate Explorer Series, Innovation Ecosystems, CDI (Challenge Driven Innovation), Connected Collective Intelligence, Ideation Process, Challenge Design, LASSO Framework, Problem Solving,  Collaboration,  Corporate Innovation

Ian Morrison Part 2 of The Second Curve

Ian and the host, Aidan McCullen, explore how companies past and present have navigated the transition from the ‘first curve’ – a state of established practices and security – to the ‘second curve’ of innovation and adaptation in the face of new technologies and markets. They discuss examples of organisations like HR Block, SGI (Silicon Graphics), and Volvo, and how they’ve managed to pivot or struggled with these shifts.

Ian offers profound insights into the societal move towards a knowledge economy, the importance of venture capital in disruptive innovation, consumer empowerment, and the geographical shift in economic power towards the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, they discuss the importance of organisational culture in adapting to change, the challenges of measuring success on the second curve, and the personal and societal impacts of these transitions.

The conversation concludes by emphasising the need for individuals and organisations to embrace uncertainty, leverage existing competencies, and prepare for a future that prioritises hyper-effectiveness and adaptive skills. 

 

00:00 Introduction to the Second Curve

00:31 Understanding the Shift from First to Second Curve

00:56 The Impact of the Second Curve on Organizations

01:44 The Second Curve and the Post-Industrial Economy

02:10 The Role of Knowledge in the Second Curve

02:48 The Power of Disruptive Innovation

03:03 The Shift in Consumer Power

03:34 The Geographic Transformation of the Second Curve

04:36 The Importance of People in the Second Curve

05:31 The Second Curve Mindset

06:25 The Dilemma of the Second Curve

09:02 The Role of Technology in the Second Curve

15:06 The Impact of the Second Curve on Individuals

18:24 The Future of the Second Curve

48:19 Conclusion: Embracing the Second Curve

 

Find ian here: http://ianmorrison.com

 

Ian Morrison – The Second Curve: Bracing for Changes in Technology, Consumers, and Markets

Explore an engaging conversation with futurist and author Ian Morrison, as he discusses traditional organization structures and the transformation required for businesses to adapt to the ‘second curve’. He shares valuable insights on the impacts of technological advancements and changing consumer preferences on organizations, individuals, and the global marketplace. Morrison shares personal anecdotes and professional case studies to illustrate the complex yet essential process of navigating from the old curve to the new one. Tune into this insightful conversation to prepare for an exciting future.

Tony Ulwick and The Jobs To Be Done Canvas

Discover the key to successful innovation. Join Tony Ulwick, author of the Jobs To Be Done Canvas, as he shares how to define markets, uncover customer needs, and develop winning products. Learn the power of focusing on job execution and get inspired to create impactful solutions.

Fit_to_Compete_Part_3_The_Silent_Killers__with_Mike_Beer_SML

The Silent Killers of Strategy Implementation and Learning – Mike Beer

Dive into the heart of innovation, strategy, and reinvention with our latest episode on Mike Beer’s ‘Fit to Compete.’ Uncover the silent killers of strategy execution and how to overcome them, featuring insights from leaders and case studies like Hewlett Packard. Perfect for leaders, innovators, and anyone looking to transform their organizational culture for strategic success. Tune in to transform challenges into victories with actionable insights

Michael Beer

Fit To Compete Part 2 with Michael Beer

Join us in ‘Fit to Compete, Part 2’ where Michael Beer, the renowned expert in corporate strategy, delves into the crucial elements of business innovation and transformation. This episode offers insightful discussions on strategic fitness, the power of honest conversations, and the roles of leadership and culture in driving organizational change. Featuring a case study on Becton Dickinson, Mike highlights the essentiality of aligning strategy with internal communication for corporate success. Perfect for professionals and leaders seeking guidance in the dynamic world of business.”

Main topics with timestamps:

  1. Strategic Fitness Process – [00:00:00]
  2. Long-Term Investment Challenges – [00:13:00]
  3. Impact of Company Culture and Leadership – [00:30:00]
  4. Role of Succession Planning – [00:43:00]
  5. Becton Dickinson Case Study – [00:51:00]
  6. Transformative Leadership and Values – [00:57:00]
  7. Innovation in Corporate Strategy – [01:03:00]
  8. Conclusion and Key Takeaways – [01:10:00]

Articles mentioned in the episode: The Great Training Robbery https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/16-121_bc0f03ce-27de-4479-a90e-9d78b8da7b67.pdf

Find Mike Beer: https://www.beermichael.com

 

Fit To Compete Part 1 – Mike Beer

Fit to Compete – Why Honest Conversations about Your Company’s Capabilities Are the Key to a Winning Strategy

In part 1, we set the context for the book and discuss:

  • Mike’s background and inspiration for the book.
  • The problem of organisational silence and how it hinders strategic execution and transformation
  • The concept of strategic fitness and how it helps organizations align their strategy and culture
  • The process and benefits of holding honest conversations with everyone in the organization
  • The challenges and barriers of overcoming the silent killers, such as fear, hierarchy, and complacency
  • The vision and courage to create a culture of corporate stewardship and continuous learning.

Find Mike here:

https://www.beermichael.com

 

Corporate Explorer Part 3 Andy Binns

Hunting Zones with Andrew Binns

Brought to you by Wazoku, the Corporate Explorer series is designed to uncover the depth of insight and experience within corporations, beyond management gurus and academics.

🌐 Episode Description: Join Andrew Binns in this insightful episode of “Hunting Zones,” where he explores the world of Corporate Explorers—innovative leaders who embark on the challenging journey of building new ventures within established organizations. In this episode, we delve into the crucial aspects of inspiring and guiding aspiring Corporate Explorers, offering actionable insights for success.

🚀 Episode Highlights:

  • Finding Inspiration: Discover where aspiring Corporate Explorers should seek inspiration and how to ignite the passion to solve customer problems within established organizations.

  • Guidance for Stepping Forward: Explore valuable guidance for encouraging Corporate Explorers to step forward and take on the challenge of building new ventures.

  • Increasing Proposal Quality: Learn effective strategies to increase the odds of generating high-quality proposals that align with business strategy and attract senior sponsors’ support.

  • Getting Started: Uncover practical tips on how to get started on the challenging road of corporate innovation and guide the energy of budding innovators toward lucrative market opportunities.

  • Hunting Zones Defined: Understand the concept of “hunting zones” as defined by Andrew Binss, which provide boundaries to innovative impulses, helping generate ideas in line with business strategy and more likely to attract investment.

🎯 Bounded Diversity Approach: Explore the concept of “bounded diversity” as a powerful approach to ideation within corporations. Learn how defining boundaries, or hunting zones, facilitates a free range of ideas, ensuring a strong connection to the business strategy and creating a win-win situation for idea generators and investors.

🔍 Case Study: Nvidia’s Success Story: Delve into the success story of Nvidia, led by CEO Jensen Huang. Learn how the company shifted into new market areas, building a software ecosystem alongside its traditional semiconductor business. Discover how Huang strategically defined hunting zones in gaming, autonomous vehicles, enterprise computing, and scientific computing, guiding his team towards innovative solutions and significant growth.

Tune in to “Hunting Zones with Andrew Binns” for a captivating exploration of corporate innovation, insightful strategies, and real-world success stories. Whether you’re an aspiring Corporate Explorer or a business enthusiast, this episode offers valuable perspectives on navigating the dynamic landscape of corporate ventures. 🎧✨

Wazoku helps large organizations create effective, sustainable innovation ecosystems that accelerate efficiency gains and new value growth. It does this through intelligent enterprise software that connects and harnesses the power of employees, suppliers, start-ups, universities, and the unique Wazoku Crowd of 700,000+ global Problem Solvers.

 

Wazoku calls this ‘connected collective intelligence’

 

Find Wazoku at www.Wazoku.com

Paolo Gallo Interview

Paolo Gallo The Seven Games of Leadership

Join us as Paolo Gallo introduces “The Seven Games of Leadership,” a groundbreaking guide that invites listeners to reassess their priorities both professionally and personally. This episode is not about climbing the corporate ladder; it’s about finding genuine satisfaction in what you do and making a positive impact on the world.

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