The six key contexts of innovation can assist leaders as they guide the innovation process, and the six core values of innovation help them spark a deeper passion for the work of innovation among potential contributors. The core values should imbue the pursuit of innovation with meaning beyondthe goal of creating cool, new products and services. They are a powerful wellspring of purpose for making innovation an organizational priority.
1. Capability (strategic value)—Innovation is about building stronger and more capable organizations. Building a capacity for innovation requires an intelligent, strategic and disciplined approach.
2. Inclusivity (technological value)—Innovation is an intrinsically social and collaborative process, i.e., everyone has a role to play. Web technologies enable open and distributed participationon a global scale.
3. Possibility (cultural value)—Possibilities are the precious fruits of the human imagination. Innovation fully embraces the discovery of what is possible for our organizations, even if it involvesrisk and failure.
4. Opportunity (intellectual value)—Through the application of experience and knowledge, the human intellect identifies and shapes innovation opportunities in ways that enable action.
5. Sustainability (financial value)—Innovation can create a sustainable future for organizations, and the work of innovation itself must be made sustainable through the consistent and well-pacedinvestment of resources.
6. Responsibility (leadership value)—Innovation is a critical element of responsible stewardship for leaders who must be vigilant for the health and well-being of their organizations.
By Jeff De Cagna
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Value of a Slip Knot: A story about risk
W hile leading three pack horses across a steep slope of loose shale, my Father learned the value of a slip knot. Suddenly one horse lost her footing in the loose rock - her feet slid right out from under her - and she fell. The only thing that stopped her from sliding down the steep mountainside was the big wooden box of cookware he'd strapped to her side that morning. Fortunately he'd tied it on tight - tight enough that it to caught on the ledge of the narrow trail and halted her descent. Seemingly unaware of her close brush with disaster, the old mare patiently shuffled her feet through the loose rock until she regained her footing and clambered back up onto the trail.
Dad said that at that moment he realized that if the horse had gone over the side, she would have pulled the other two horses with her. The slope was so steep, a horse's falling momentum would be impossible to stop. She'd pull the second horse down, and then the third one would surely go with them. So he got off his horse, edged over to the pack horses and retied each of them - this time with slip knots. If any one horse went down the mountainside, the slip knot would release, saving the other two horses - and him. From then on, he always tied up the packhorses with slip knots.
The next year, another fellow was leading a train of pack horses across the same slope. One horse slipped and fell all the way to the bottom, taking the other two pack horses with her. All three were lost.
In my Dad's story I saw a couple of lessons.
One, do things right, you never know when a minor detail may prove to be crucial. Dad said that had he tied the dinnerbox on loosely - like some did - it probably would not have stopped the horse from going over the edge.
The second lesson had to do with that slip knot. In that simple tactic I see the fundamental rules of survival : Think ahead. Don't assume you can keep or have everything. Set priorities. Know your liabilities. Take steps to preserve and protect what you have, in its appropriate order of priority. There is something raw and timeless in those rules.
This happened over 40 years ago but the lessons from this story are directly applicable to risk management in complex projects, business startups, and system security. For me personally, my Dad's lessons are always top of mind in my work.
Ralph Perrine
Dad said that at that moment he realized that if the horse had gone over the side, she would have pulled the other two horses with her. The slope was so steep, a horse's falling momentum would be impossible to stop. She'd pull the second horse down, and then the third one would surely go with them. So he got off his horse, edged over to the pack horses and retied each of them - this time with slip knots. If any one horse went down the mountainside, the slip knot would release, saving the other two horses - and him. From then on, he always tied up the packhorses with slip knots.
The next year, another fellow was leading a train of pack horses across the same slope. One horse slipped and fell all the way to the bottom, taking the other two pack horses with her. All three were lost.
In my Dad's story I saw a couple of lessons.
One, do things right, you never know when a minor detail may prove to be crucial. Dad said that had he tied the dinnerbox on loosely - like some did - it probably would not have stopped the horse from going over the edge.
The second lesson had to do with that slip knot. In that simple tactic I see the fundamental rules of survival : Think ahead. Don't assume you can keep or have everything. Set priorities. Know your liabilities. Take steps to preserve and protect what you have, in its appropriate order of priority. There is something raw and timeless in those rules.
This happened over 40 years ago but the lessons from this story are directly applicable to risk management in complex projects, business startups, and system security. For me personally, my Dad's lessons are always top of mind in my work.
Ralph Perrine
Monday, December 10, 2007
Self Actualization
What is Self Actualization? How can one achieve self actualization?
The theory and concept is old, though once it was a popular fad in psychology. Self Actualization refers to a state of mind when a person achieves an insight into what he/she really is, what he/she is capable of, and where does he/she stand in the bigger picture. The insight may or may not be complete, but definitely benefits the person: their personality improves, their skills upgrade, their humanity moves to an advanced level and more wisdom is achieved depending on the moment, duration and intensity of the insight.
Self Actualization is usually achieved as a result of some event that is powerful enough to trigger the person's mind to concentrate inwardly. The event in itself does not matter, it may be positive or negative. But the resulting self actualization is always positive as human nature is positive at its core; if its not positive in some respect, then it is anything but self actualization.
The effects of self actualization can be described as "personal magic", or "personal mastery". The person who achieves self actualization is some thing more than the ordinary; by virtue of the new found knowledge about him/herself, the person is more able than others. More able to do things, to inspire and to lead self and others.
Great men in history, artists who excel at what they do, leaders, sports personnel, master minds in every industry; all have in their own ways, to some extent achieved self actualization. It is something very personal, it can not be taught. Though proper questions by an expert can trigger the insightful thinking that leads to self actualization. A good example that comes to mind is "NEO" of the film "MATRIX". He achieves self actualization and as a result becomes master of his situation. But its just a movie with all special effects. Don't confuse that with actual life; actual self actualization is similar but doesn't come about that easily.
The theory and concept is old, though once it was a popular fad in psychology. Self Actualization refers to a state of mind when a person achieves an insight into what he/she really is, what he/she is capable of, and where does he/she stand in the bigger picture. The insight may or may not be complete, but definitely benefits the person: their personality improves, their skills upgrade, their humanity moves to an advanced level and more wisdom is achieved depending on the moment, duration and intensity of the insight.
Self Actualization is usually achieved as a result of some event that is powerful enough to trigger the person's mind to concentrate inwardly. The event in itself does not matter, it may be positive or negative. But the resulting self actualization is always positive as human nature is positive at its core; if its not positive in some respect, then it is anything but self actualization.
The effects of self actualization can be described as "personal magic", or "personal mastery". The person who achieves self actualization is some thing more than the ordinary; by virtue of the new found knowledge about him/herself, the person is more able than others. More able to do things, to inspire and to lead self and others.
Great men in history, artists who excel at what they do, leaders, sports personnel, master minds in every industry; all have in their own ways, to some extent achieved self actualization. It is something very personal, it can not be taught. Though proper questions by an expert can trigger the insightful thinking that leads to self actualization. A good example that comes to mind is "NEO" of the film "MATRIX". He achieves self actualization and as a result becomes master of his situation. But its just a movie with all special effects. Don't confuse that with actual life; actual self actualization is similar but doesn't come about that easily.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Quotation
"Do not measure your loss by itself; if you do, it will seem intolerable; but if you will take all human affairs into account you will find that some comfort is to be derived from them."
Saint Basill
Saint Basill
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