Unleash the Power of “Both/And” Thinking: Solve Toughest Problems & Make Breakthrough DecisionsTired of either/or choices? This episode of The Innovation Show cracks the code on navigating paradoxes. Join Wendy Smith, co-author of “Both/And Thinking,” as she reveals the power of embracing tensions for better problem-solving in your career, organization, and beyond. Discover the four types of paradoxes and practical strategies to manage them effectively. Learn from Lego’s success story and more!
In this episode, we are joined by Wendy Smith, co-author of ‘Both/And Thinking: Embrace Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.’ Wendy elaborates on the nuances between dilemmas, paradoxes, and tensions, emphasising that these terms are not interchangeable and revealing the psychological and practical implications of recognising and navigating paradoxes. Drawing from her personal experiences and research, Wendy illustrates how both/and thinking can be applied to career decisions, organisational challenges, and broader societal issues. She discusses the limitations of either/or thinking and the harmful patterns it can create, such as intensification, overcorrection, and polarisation. Using examples from companies like Lego and Gore, Wendy shows how balancing tradition and innovation, centralisation and decentralisation, and other competing demands can lead to more sustainable success. The conversation also delves into the four types of paradoxes: learning, performing, organising, and belonging, and explores strategies to manage these tensions effectively. This episode is essential for anyone facing complex decisions in their personal or professional life. 00:00 Introduction to Both/And Thinking 00:12 Understanding Tensions and Dilemmas 03:08 Defining Paradox and Its Importance 05:23 Embracing Paradoxes in Real Life 08:00 Conditions That Highlight Paradoxes 16:51 Exploring the Four Types of Paradoxes 23:28 Navigating Organisational Paradoxes 31:23 The Paradox System Framework 36:57 Lego’s Journey Through Paradox 45:40 Conclusion and Further Resources
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