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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 Case For An Organisational ‘Day Of Silence’
On Wednesday 22nd March I was back in lockdown, confined to a hotel room for 24 hours. Don’t feel sorry for me though, I was in Bali, Indonesia. On Nyepi day , which is New Year’s day in the Balinese Saka Calendar, the island turns off all lights and sounds, stops traffic, reflects and meditates.… Read more
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Big Consultancy and The Rise of The Non-Expert ‘Experts’
No one ever got fired for hiring McKinsey, or so the saying goes. The total size of the global transformation market is expected to grow from $445.4bn in 2017 to $2,279.4bn by 2025. The consulting component of a transformation programme alone is worth $44bn. As a result, the likes of PwC, Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst… Read more
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Innovation Doesn’t Happen By Accident
Trickle down innovation, just like trickle down economics, doesn’t trickle down very far at all. When leaders are implored to innovate they often go for the easiest and most attractive option, innovation theatre: You bring someone in to give an “inspirational talk” on innovation You hold a one-day workshop to get your company to be… Read more
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The Creativity Productivity Paradox
You can’t endorse a top-down authority structure and be serious about enhancing adaptability, innovation, or engagement. Gary Hamel Employers are facing a conundrum: a generational gap in job satisfaction. Research seems to indicate that while Gen Z and millennial workers report higher job satisfaction, they’re more likely to be looking for new roles. In contrast,… Read more
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Analysis Paralysis and The Threat To Innovation
A much delayed first post of 2023, which has been for a couple of reasons. Firstly I’ve taken a super relaxing break and switched off completely rather than my usual rambling around. I’ve been staying in one of those Caribbean mega hotels beloved by East Coast Americans looking to escape the winter freeze – and… Read more
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Designing For Ambiguity
When you introduce ambiguity, rather than control, into a system, people think for themselves and find a way to reach the right answer. Mark McArthur Christie The only traffic sign in the small northern Dutch village of Makkinga says ‘Verkeersbordvrij’ which translates as ‘free of traffic signs’. People living there have to find their own way around,… Read more
Paul Taylor 