Art, Cognitive Science and Innovation – The Power of Shifting Context

Source: Wikipedia “Ceci n’est pas une pipe.” This is not a pipe. But wait, it certainly looks like a pipe. What is going on here? I can clearly remember seeing this picture for the first time as a kid, and not understanding the point. What else could it be other than a pipe? However, if […]
The Paradox of Charismatic Leadership

“Among the most effective leaders I have encountered and worked with in half a century, some locked themselves into their office and others were ultra-gregarious. Some were quick and impulsive, while others studied the situation and took forever to come to a decision… The one and only personality trait the effective ones I have encountered did have in common was something they did not have: they had little or no ‘charisma’ and little use either for the term or what it signifies.” —Peter Drucker
Innovation and Leadership – Lofty Visions, Practical Thinking and Shaping the Future

“Birds fly high in the air and survey broad vistas of mathematics out to the far horizon. They delight in concepts that unify our thinking.
“Frogs live in the mud below and see only the flowers that grow nearby. They delight in the details of particular objects.”—Freeman Dyson
Serial Innovators and Betting on the Future

Betting on serial innovators is a widespread phenomenon. Who would you trust more with your money? Someone with a proven track record or someone with little proof of past success? Many entrepreneurs and innovators who get it right the first time succeed the second time as well. However, correlation between past success and likelihood of continued success in the future isn’t always as straightforward as it might sound.
Three Cases Against Social Entrepreneurship and a Few Suggestions on How to Overcome Them

In Summary: By breaking down huge and overwhelming problems to their components and solving each part one by one, we can make enormous progress in solving great challanges.
The Biggest Waste: Underutilised Human Potential – A three-step Approach to Develop and Better Utilise Talent

Poverty leads to an incredible waste of human potential. Think about the millions without access to the sorts of life chances that empower people to become the best version of themselves. For those who lack these chances, even one single opportunity could lead to an unimaginable difference. How can we make this happen?