Watch out if you’re a frontrunner; Dutch climate professor Jan Rotmans almost got fired twice xxx “It was a disgrace” “The RIVM was on the verge of firing me twice because my work was too controversial.” Jan Rotmans, professor and activist, was the first in the world to develop an integral model to map global […]
The fatbike problems drag on, but no one takes responsibility: ‘Where are the rebels?’ The fatbike: hated by some, a status symbol for others. According to innovation expert Simone van Neerven, the (often tuned) electric bikes also symbolise something else. ‘The fatbike is exemplary of how we deal with pressing problems. Thinking in impossibilities and
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The magic of innovation is totally underestimated, and that is why it fails so often During the Olympic Games in 1968, Dick Fosbury surprised the world with a completely new style for the high jump, which revolutionised the sport. That ‘Fosbury Flop’ is often used as an example of successful innovation, but some crucial success
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Everybody seems to love AI, but no one talks about the high price we pay for it There is too little attention to the dark sides of AI, according to innovation expert Simone van Neerven. Technology determines what we see, do, and how we feel. We get out of touch with our bodies, and we
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Five biggest misconceptions about innovation Organizations that do not innovate risk becoming obsolete in a rapidly changing and competitive landscape. Innovation is essential for staying relevant, fostering growth, and ensuring long-term success. To effectively spearhead change, one must truly understand its essential drivers. But a lot of advice is predicated on false premises. Here are
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You face a devilish dilemma; stick to your ideals or let them go? Making choices is rarely easy, especially when ideals and interests clash. Austrian climate minister Leonore Gewessler risked her career for the nature restoration law, while natural winemaker Frank Cornelissen risked his reputation to save his company. Two stories about courage, pragmatism and
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Toxic bosses have highly engaged teams, and people stay longer to work for them. How come? Many organisations understand the importance of engaged employees but are unaware of the paradox that toxic leaders can have a highly motivated team. At least on paper … Humiliating experience In 2008, Apple launched ‘MobileMe’, a new internet service
“Yes, but…” in the workplace seems forbidden, but we need more of it When United Airlines staff followed the rules too rigidly, they ended up with a bloodied passenger and significant reputational damage for the airline. Innovation expert Simone van Neerven advocates to stop covering all possible scenarios in procedures and let people think for
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Why do we stick to one rule while happily breaking another? xxx Crime scene investigation On April 20, 2006, Thomas van der Bijl, a crucial witness against one of the most notorious Dutch criminals Willem Holleeder, was shot dead at nine o’clock in the morning in a café in Amsterdam-West. An eyewitness saw two men
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Taylor Swift an innovator? You bet! Here are her 8 leadership lessons This week marks the release of Taylor Swift’s eleventh album. The American singer has become a worldwide pop sensation. Her stormy path to success contains many lessons for business leaders. Innovation expert Simone van Neerven lists eight. Follow your heart In 2023, Taylor
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Oh dear, a super chicken in your team! Now what? Many organisations focus on outcomes but pay little to no attention to how these results are accomplished. To ensure that a team performs at its best, KPIs for mutual collaboration are crucial, writes Simone van Neerven. Throw like a granny In basketball, free throw means
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Five things you should never say as a manager (plus better things to say) ‘Don’t bring me problems, give me solutions.’ is a phrase that leaders often say in meetings. A big problem, says innovation expert Simone van Neerven, as with these couple of words, leaders close themselves off for critical signals. And there are
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How come you don’t see the solution that’s right in front of you? The solution to most problems already exists and is probably right in front of you, but we just don’t see it. We are too stuck in our thinking, which hinders coming up with creative solutions, sees innovation expert Simone van Neerven. Here
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Struggling with change? These 6 steps guarantee success Implementing change in an organisation is difficult. Yet there is an approach that guarantees success, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven: the six-step algorithm of office expert and columnist Japke-d. Bouma. “Just take a break from meetings for a while and see what happens.” Better than Elon
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Breaking the rules can save lives Rebels are known for colouring outside the lines. They never do this just because, though. Most rebels have a strong moral compass and act accordingly. They don’t break the rules because they want to, but because they feel it is the right thing to do. Deviating from the protocol
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Andre Agassi’s curiosity led to a surprising insight about Boris Becker’s tongue Curious employees are often intrinsically driven to make things better. Even though their actions don’t always seem to lead anywhere, Simone van Neerven illustrates with an anecdote about top tennis player Andre Agassi that it could potentially result in a breakthrough. Boris Becker’s
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Insecurity is former CEO Feike Sijbesma’s secret to success Being insecure as a leader is often seen as a weakness. Being overconfident, however, will not help you either since it will prevent you from being open to new insights. Feike Sijbesma’s leadership style is impressive and shows how to be insecure yet successful, writes innovation
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A rebel in your team? Congratulations! Rebels are a pain in the ass. They keep asking questions, come up with crazy ideas and never go along with the rest. But are they really such troublemakers? Or do they simply have a different view of the world, a good dose of creativity and the courage to
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Rebels are the ‘birds of paradise’ of an organisation Years ago, Nike struggled and almost did not make it. As an emergency measure, they organised a contest and discovered some hidden rebel talent within their own organisation. And that saved them from going under. Organisations need to understand that rebels are not troublemakers, but they
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If everyone knows it’s a bad idea, it won’t happen… right? How can a group of people make a decision that every individual disagrees with? This phenomenon is known as the Abilene Paradox. According to innovation expert Simone van Neerven, this can have disastrous consequences, such as the disaster with the space shuttle Challenger in
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The more dumb ideas, the better When do you come to brilliant insights? If employees are given the space to come up with absurd ideas, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. And it is up to leaders to create the right environment. The makers of South Park show how this is done. South Park thrives
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Are you open to crazy ideas from your employees? An ‘absurd’ idea from an employee can easily lead to a breakthrough for the organisation. At least, as long as leaders are open to it and won’t get in the way. And that takes a lot of courage… Let’s cut off the legs of the table!
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Follow your passion? What a nonsense! Following your passion is lousy advice for an entrepreneur, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. The best motivation comes from curiosity; just look at Boyan Slat (The Ocean Cleanup) and Lex Hoefsloot (Lightyear). But even that is not enough to be successful. More plastic in the sea than fish
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Our society converges towards ‘sameness’ and it numbs us White walls, wood, and black steel. We see these design elements everywhere; in homes, workplaces, and coffee shops. That feels comfortable, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. But it also dulls our senses. ‘There are fewer surprises that tickle us and that doesn’t do our creativity
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Holland’s best innovator? Dutch comedian Theo Maassen! Theo Maassen is praised for hosting Zomergasten, a Dutch prestigious 3-hour interview show. That’s not a surprise for innovation expert Simone van Neerven. The comedian has been reinventing himself for years and – consciously or unconsciously – successfully applies many innovation lessons. Just an excerpt from one of
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