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Net Zero and The Law of Horse Manure
Catastrophic predictions that spell dark days for humanity are nothing new. The Times predicted in 1894 that in 50 years time, every street in London would be buried under nine feet of horse manure. It was the crisis of all crises. There was, to be fair, some evidence for this. As urban populations rapidly increased… Read more
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The Gravitational Pull Of Business As Usual
The interior secrets of black holes are guarded by a one-way light-trapping boundary called the event horizon. This horizon is the point, according to NASA, that the gravitational influence of the black hole becomes so intense that not even light is fast enough to escape it. A very different horizon exists in many organisations, except… Read more
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The Overton Window: How Unthinkable Ideas Become The Norm
The concept of the Overton Window – the range of ideas, policies, and arguments deemed acceptable to the mainstream population – was developed in the early 1990s by Joseph P. Overton, an electrical engineer turned policy wonk. Overton maintained that think tanks could influence public policy without directly engaging in the political process. He observed… Read more
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How To Build A Bridge To A ‘Rogue Silo’ Team
In 1988 Phil. S. Ensor coined the term the functional silo system. His contention was that narrow, specialised teams and jobs were easy to manage, but imposed damaging learning disabilities on the organisation. As every function focuses on its own objectives and KPIs – the organisation slowly becomes reactive. We become focused on addressing tactical fixes rather than exploring… Read more
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The Watery Tomato: Why Most Innovative Practice Doesn’t Scale
In late 2024, Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay moved from Manchester United to Napoli. He was an elite athlete, at the peak of physical performance, who had spent all his life in the UK. Yet, within weeks of arriving in Southern Italy, he went viral for a comment about a tomato. “I never ate them at… Read more
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Fixing The Foundations Vs Innovation Leapfrogging
India, the worlds most populous country, has a vibe about it that contrasts starkly with the UK. It’s not just vibes, there’s data to back it up. India currently sits near the top of the global optimism charts, with 69% – 81% of citizens stating the country is on the right track. Even with concerns… Read more
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Four Picture Diary. Puducherry: Community creativity, mythopoeia, and booze bureaucracy
With a four picture diary the idea is to keep things simple and focused by capturing just four photos that define the day, each answering a specific prompt: Where is it happening? What are we doing? Who is involved? and Why? Where is it happening? Puducherry, often called India’s “Little France,” is a unique coastal… Read more
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Four Picture Diary: Digital Transformation, Airport Counselling and English Themed Pubs
With a four picture diary the idea is to keep things simple and focused by capturing just four photos that define the day, each answering a specific prompt: Where is it happening? What are we doing? Who is involved? and Why? Where is it happening? Chennai – on route to Puducherry. I always try and… Read more
Paul Taylor 