A conversation with Rita McGrath, author of ‘The Entrepreneurial Mindset,’ exploring principles for thriving in rapidly changing environments. McGrath shares her personal journey from industry to academia, emphasising the importance of understanding practical business applications.
Innovating Within the Military: Challenge-Driven Innovation and Connected Intelligence
This episode of the Corporate Explorer, recorded in London during the launch of the Corporate Explorer field book and powered by Wazoku, features Stuart Laws from the UK’s Defense Innovation Unit. The discussion explores how challenge-driven innovation has transformed problem-solving within the military, moving away from a traditional idea-generation model to one that actively involves business units in framing their issues for more scoped and implementable solutions. Laws highlights the shift towards a more inclusive innovation approach, engaging employees, suppliers, startups, universities, and leveraging Wazoku’s connected collective intelligence of over 700,000 global problem solvers. The episode also delves into the human aspects of innovation, including the creation of stakeholder personas to better understand and influence decision-makers, and the serendipitous discovery of solutions through cross-sector collaboration and challenge-driven initiatives. Laws shares insights on the necessity of a collaborative mindset in innovation, bringing public and private sectors together for impactful outcomes. The successes of this approach are exemplified in real-world applications, such as providing 5G coverage in hard-to-reach areas through a partnership between Defence, BT, and academic contributions.
00:00 Welcome to the Corporate Explorer: Innovating with Wazoku
00:43 Introducing Stuart Laws: Innovating in the Military
01:41 The Power of Challenge-Driven Innovation
04:12 Cross-Sector Innovation: Bridging Industries for Better Solutions
09:14 Marketing Personas: A Game-Changer for Innovation
12:55 Finding Solutions in Unexpected Places: The BT Story
15:13 Wrapping Up: The Future of Innovation with Wazoku
Find Stuart here: https://ideashadowcoaching.com
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
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 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
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.
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.
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
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:
- Strategic Fitness Process – [00:00:00]
- Long-Term Investment Challenges – [00:13:00]
- Impact of Company Culture and Leadership – [00:30:00]
- Role of Succession Planning – [00:43:00]
- Becton Dickinson Case Study – [00:51:00]
- Transformative Leadership and Values – [00:57:00]
- Innovation in Corporate Strategy – [01:03:00]
- 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 – 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