The 3 C’s: Complex Problem Solving, Creativity and Critical Thinking – Core Soft Skills Required in the Workplace of the 4th Industrial Revolution

The next in our series on the 4th Industrial Revolution, from the Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTI). Start with Part I here.

It’s All About Interaction!

The central role of Interaction Design when creating delightful customer experiences

Organisations depend on their competitive advantage in order to become or keep successful, relevant for their customers and grow over time. As we all know, competitive advantage is achieved via either one – or a combination - of the strategies involving pricing, service and product quality or customer service excellence. We argue that another overarching strategy should always be present in a company’s strategy; delivering an excellent, desirable and memorable customer experience.

HR Improvements that Can Build a Better Company

The role of HR has evolved significantly over the years. In the past, HR was focused only on hiring and making sure paychecks were sent to the right employees. Today, HR plays a much broader role in the strategic goals of a company. These following improvements can help your HR department meet your company goals.

The Benefits of Experiential Learning for Leaders with Rocket Scientist Joshua Spodek

In this podcast, Joshua Spodek discusses his journey from PhD student of astrophysics to launching and failing in the business world, and finally becoming a sought-after leadership coach and professor at NYU. He also touches on practical tools and exercises used to build the leadership muscles, and explores the importance of experiential learning or project-based learning for building leadership and personal skills.

Creativity is Key: Tips on Avoiding Groupthink

It’s awesome when everyone agrees, isn’t it? Yes—and no. Most of us have, at some point, fallen into the trap of groupthink to avoid conflict and promote harmony in a group, whether at school, work, or on a committee. Groupthink has its perks: everyone feels comfortable, and there’s no risk of tension among members. It’s safe. Easy. Unfortunately, it can also kills creativity and innovation.

Hacking Reality to Have a Great Day with Caroline Webb

Caroline is the CEO of Sevenshift, a firm that shows people how to leverage behavioral science to improve their working life. Caroline is also the author of How To Have A Good Day, which has been published in 16 different languages, in more than 60 countries. Some of the topics Mark and Caroline cover on this week’s show are: The secret manifesto Caroline has hidden in the book, which is shared by the Innovation Ecosystem, the 100-plus tools Caroline uses, all of which are scientifically proven, and operate independent of context, culture, or industry, and what you can do to hack reality in service of having a good day.

2019-11-28T09:24:19-08:00December 23rd, 2016|Categories: Innovation Ecosystem, Podcast|Tags: , , , , |

Pre-suasion: How to Influence With Integrity

Professor Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence. This has earned him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation. On this week’s episode, Robert discusses how to enlist the support of your senior managers prior to making an important presentation, how companies can boost their sales productivity by up to 60%, and what we can learn from Warren Buffett on communication.

2020-07-10T14:43:03-07:00December 2nd, 2016|Categories: Innovation Ecosystem, Leadership, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , |

Managing Risk and Shortcuts for Project Managers

Project managers are often dealing with loads of stress coming from all fronts, such as the pursuit of deadlines. Pressed by senior managers to deliver, project managers may find themselves resorting to risky shortcuts to make ends meet. Here are some ways to manage these risky shortcuts in project management.

Three Types of Networkers and the Roadblocks for Corporate Networking

As you determine how to build a networking culture within your organization, it’s important to understand how networking actually works. One of the most knowledgeable people on organizational networking and—how this supports innovation—is Rob Cross, a professor in the management department of University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce.

Creating an Innovation Network with Rob Wolcott

As Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Kellogg Innovation Network (KIN) and a Clinical Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Rob Wolcott knows a bit about networking and the politics of innovation. In this episode of Innovation Ecosystem Rob shares practical advice for intrapreneurs who are looking to get stuff done from within the middle of the organization. And for growth leaders of businesses, he also has some great tips about where to get your inspiration!

The Leadership Mindset: Disciplined Collaboration, Followership and Purpose

What makes a successful leader? Is there a secret formula for outstanding leadership above and beyond natural charisma? This is one of the golden questions that every HR manager and business owner wants to know. In fact, countless books and articles have been written on the subject. Emmanuel Gobillot is a leading author and speaker on the fundamentals of effective leadership and in this interview with Mark Bidwell he shares key insights about cultivating the leader's mindset.

Urgently Wanted: The Design Driven Manager

The potential of Design Thinking becomes more and more visible because organizations like Apple, Coca-Cola, IBM, Nike en Proctor & Gamble not only show overtly that they use it, but start showing significant results. They outperformed their peers in the last decade with 219%, measured by the Design Value Index (assessment by Design Management Institute).

Innovate as a Team? Work on Your Psychological Safety!

To be able to use the full potential of innovation, psychological safety within teams and organisations is essential. Psychological safety is the shared belief that it is safe within the team for interpersonal risk taking. There is a direct relation between a psychological safe climate and performance of the team. (Edmondson 1999)

How to Achieve More Effective Performance Appraisals

Roughly only half of all companies conduct annual performance reviews. Of the fifty percent of companies that do tend to provide consistent and reliable feedback to their employees. However, it can be awkward at times to tell someone on your staff that they aren't doing a good job or attempt to offer constructive criticism without sounding condescending. What are some ways to make a performance appraisal more effective and less awkward for yourself and the employee?

Communicate to Innovate: Tips from the World of Improvisation

Effective communication is at the heart of innovation: harnessing insights from customers, partners and co-workers, sharing ideas, building upon points of view, advocating and gaining support for one’s innovations all require razor sharp communication. Interestingly enough, communicating effectively is a two-way street. The sender and receiver of information are both responsible for landing it appropriately, and both sides need to actively participate. Two simple, but powerful behaviors that can help increase the efficiency of communication are listening and declaring.