Igniting Innovation: Recent Episodes
AV
"the one that (sadly) will resonate with bankers the most"Samatha (Sam) Emery is a formidable change agent - a genuine "force of nature" within the financial services industry in the UK and beyond. Having held prominent positions at RBS, the FCA, Lloyds Banking Group and Swift, she is a frequent speaker at many of the financial services events I attend, and from the very first time I saw Sam on stage, I've wanted to get her on this podcast.
I knew that in order for her to achieve what she has done so far, she would have have faced what most people would consider insurmountable barriers and obstacles - just have a listen to the first 5 minutes of this show to see why I say that!
In the true spirit of the show, Sam not only shared the Monsters and Myths (the barriers and obstacles) that she has encountered on her innovation, change and transformation journey to date, but also the Mayhem (the impact) these cause in organisations and the Magic (the solution / approach) that she has successfully applied to conquer them.
We discussed:
- The Comfort Cocoon - that lulls people and organisations into complacency and inhibits change and transformation
- The Fragmented Labyrinth - of the financial services landscape
- The Meritocracy Mirage - the myth that hard work will get you ahead (acutely experienced by underrepresented minority groups)
You can follow Sam's journey on LinkedIn here and don't pass on an opportunity to see her on stage - you won't regret it!
How many Monsters & Myths could we CONQUER TOGETHER?Click here to find out more!
Go back to the podcast playlist
The post Banking Monsters and Myths with Samantha Emery appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
"the one with the owner's manual"How do you cross the yawning chasm of lack of context in today's remote-first, distributed working environment? If you're in a management position, you might not even be aware of it or even worse, you might be dealing with it in a way that alienates your employees!
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Leda's weekly articles tagged as #ledawrites on LinkedIn. It doesn't matter what industry you work in, her stories resonate with everyone who has ever worked or still works in a corporate environment. As a result, her writing is also a huge source of material for this show as she shines a light on the biggest barriers and obstacles that get in the way of getting things done - precisely what this show is all about!
And so it was that an article about shoes sparked a conversation about how the concept of an "owner's manual" inspired by CPO Supremo Arthur Leung might go a long way in helping to cross The Context Chasm.
How many Monsters & Myths could we CONQUER TOGETHER?Click here to find out more!
Go back to the podcast playlist
The post The Context Chasm in today’s remote first working world – with Leda Glyptis appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
"the one most needing magic"This episode of the show saw a departure from the the usual format, but I should have expected nothing less from the CEO and Founder of a company called Unconventional Ventures.
Theo is saddened, angry and frustrated by the very real Monsters she has encountered as a woman in the workplace over the last three decades.
Sadly the solutions put forward so far have all been Myths - there has been no Magic to dispel them.
Awareness has increased.
But behaviour has not changed much.
The stories she shares will make you feel uncomfortable at best.
At worst, they will be relatable.
This is a deeply personal account that is difficult to summarise in the way that I normally do, but this is the essence of this show - to expose the biggest barriers and obstacles that get in the way of getting things done.
And these do:-
- The Predator
- The Policy Myth
- The Wrong Incentives
These are not up for debate. Their existence cannot be denied. This is her lived experience.
It's up to us. All of us to conjure the "magic" required to banish these from the workplace, and society at large, in order to leave the world a better place than we found it.
** Read the blog post by Leda Glyptis that gives me a glimmer of hope for the future
And to hear more from Theo, you can find her One Vision Podcast here.
How many Monsters & Myths could we CONQUER TOGETHER?Click here to find out more!
Go back to the podcast playlist
The post Theo Lau on Monsters and Myths faced by Women in the Workplace appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Well it was bound to happen sooner or later on a show that hosts changemakers - Ajith Chambers turned the concept on its head and took a contrarian view of who the Monsters are and how manufacturing Myths can help you to achieve your goals. Ajith is a seasoned Banker (but please don't hold that […]
The post Ajith Chambers takes a different view of who the monsters really are appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Thea Loch has significant experience of driving change and transformation from "both sides" of the fence - initially as a consultant and currently as the Head of Group Optimisation at Lloyds Banking Group in the UK. She's seen, and overcome, a myriad of Monsters and Myths in her time and undoubtedly will conquer many more […]
The post “the one with the cult” – Thea Loch appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
The problem with ideas is that they're not really useful if you're solving the wrong problem in the first place! That's just one of the many insights shared by Nikolas (Nik) Venios, Founder of The Ideas Agency, in this session. As a fellow change maker / disruptor / innovator, Nik has faced a myriad of […]
The post Nikolas Venios talks about the problems with ideas appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Transformation is tough - there, I've said it! People are naturally resistant to change and when a transformation project is announced, many people will immediately hide behind their barriers and throw obstacles in the path of change. I saw a tweet thread a while back that called on people to list 5 topics they could […]
The post Lou Smith talks Change and Transformation appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Have you encountered the Imposter Syndrome Monster yet? Have you ever felt that your skills and experience are simply "not enough" for you to open your mouth and provide an opinion in front of your peers? Or perhaps you've passed up the opportunity to apply for a promotion or ask for a raise at work […]
The post Imposter Syndrome Monsters and Myths with Tara Halliday appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Pedro Pinto is a Technology Leader whose teams have been responsible for many groundbreaking innovations across multiple industries over the years. As is always the case with the Tribe of Troublemakers (aka fellow innovators), this means he has come face to face with many Monsters and Myths (barriers and obstacles) in his path. How many […]
The post Technology Monsters and Myths shared by Technology Leader Pedro Pinto appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Sales is the biggest monster I have faced and have yet to overcome. We ALL have to "sell" at some point in our life - to get a job or promotion, to find a romantic partner, to get investment or support of an idea, to be accepted in a team - and many, many more […]
The post Tony Hughes shares the top Monsters and Myths of Sales appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Prof. Jason Mars PhD is one of the world leaders in the realm of "conversational artificial intelligence" (THE world leader by my personal assessment!). He is on a mission to have a meaningful impact on the lives of every human and if you take a look at what he and his team at Clinc.com have […]
The post Jason Mars shares Artificial Intelligence Monsters and Myths appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Stan Horwitz is an internationally certified and accredited Master OD, Change and HR specialist (UK CIPD Fellow equivalent) who has encountered many Monsters and Myths over the course of his career as he strives to drive change and transformation across organisations. Stan and I go waaaaaay back however as we met in our teens while […]
The post Stan Horwitz shares Digital Transformation Monsters and Myths appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Becky Downing is a serial entrepreneur who started trying to change the world way back when she was still in school (it didn't go as planned - you'll have to watch / listen to find out what happened). She went on to be one of the few female founders globally that has raised in excess […]
The post Becky Downing shares the biggest Monsters and Myths encountered by Entrepreneurs appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Kent Vorland is no stranger to Change and Transformation. Having started his career in the Norwegian Air-force, progressing on to gaining an Economics degree in the USA after which he spent time on Wall street before moving to the UK to start his own consultancy and then taking on the position of CEO at SimplyPayMe, […]
The post Monsters And Myths impact mental health of entrepreneurs and founders – Kent Vorland appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Rosie and Faris Yakob are the geniuses behind the nomadic creative consultancy Genius Steals. They have traveled the world and worked with amazing individuals and organisations of all sizes, accumulating a long list of accolades and achievements along the way. To me they are the epitomy of creativity and as creativity is a core component […]
The post S2E010 Rosie and Faris Yakob – Creative Monsters and Myths appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Adrian Holt has had a long career in the military, where he was a founding member of the MOD's jHUB innovation facility before moving onto his current role as Head of Defence at Capita Consulting. I met Adrian at an event where he had shared a fascinating presentation about the challenges of open innovation and […]
The post S2E09 Adrian Holt – Innovation Monsters and Myths appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Robert (Rob) Wood embodies innovation, although that's not something you will ever hear him say about himself! This former Marine turned Drinks Iconoclast has a slew of awards under his belt gained via his grounbreaking and entrepreneurial achievements and yet he introduces himself as "a bartender" ....... which in my personal opinion is akin to […]
The post S2E08 Robert Wood – Innovation Monsters and Myths appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
"the one with the electronic suggestion box"
I've known Marc for many years - ever since he was (unfortunately for him) assigned as my "CIO Advisor" by the organisation he was working for at the time. I quickly grew to trust his advice and I valued the many and varied conversations we've had over the years - and not just because he shares a common passion for motorcycles! (Don't worry, sadly we don't talk about them in the show).
As a CIO advisor, Marc has encountered many more Monsters and Myths than most as he gets to see and hear about them across all his clients and organisations he advises - so I was really pleased when he agreed to be on the show.
How many Monsters & Myths could we CONQUER TOGETHER? Click here to find out more!
Marc's top 3 list is composed of:-
- The Myth of "the Need for Innovation" - Marc asks "why?"
- The Monster of the "electronic suggestion box"
- The Myth of "Who Needs to be Involved" - it's probably not who you think should be
The full video interview with Marc Dowd can be found here on YouTube or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.
If you'd like to find out more about Marc, you can reach out to him on:-
LinkedIn:- https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcdowd/
Twitter:- @MarcDowd - https://twitter.com/MarcDowd
Go back to the podcast playlist
The post S2E07 Innovation Monsters and Myths – Marc Dowd appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
"the one with the plane crash"
Katryna Dow, CEO and Founder of Meeco.me specifically requested that we record this episode on Friday 13th November ........ not just any Friday 13th, but a Friday 13th in 2020!!! Given how the year has gone so far I figured "what the heck - it can't get any worse now can it??".
Thankfully the interview went off without a hitch
Having got to know Katryna quite well over the last 6 or so years and having had MANY meandering conversations about life, the universe and everything, I knew that once we got going, the conversation would go in unexpected directions and it certainly did - instead of focussing purely on the negatives in the form of barriers and obstacles, Katryna shares words of hope and encouragement for startup founders, changemakers and dreamers everywhere!
How many Monsters & Myths could we CONQUER TOGETHER? Click here to find out more!
The conversation roamed across:-
- The Mindset Monsters - both the ones you face in the form of the fixed mindsets of others and the Monster of self doubt that most founders face at some point in their journey
- The Misconception that we are not accountable for unintended consequences of our actions
- The Magic of Signposts - the often overlooked need to be aware of the signs along the way
The full video interview with Katryna Dow can be found here on YouTube or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.
If you'd like to find out more about Katryna and Meeco, take a look here:-
LinkedIn:- https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrynadow/
Twitter:- https://twitter.com/katrynadow
Meeco website :- https://meeco.me/ and a great 1 minute explainer video of what Meeco is all about can be found here:- https://meeco.wistia.com/medias/363hhq0gtx
Meeco Twitter :- https://twitter.com/meeco_me
Go back to the podcast playlist
The post S2E06 Innovation Monsters and Myths – Katryna Dow appeared first on Andrew Vorster.
Innovation requires a blend of both Art and Science - and has far more in common with the process of alcohol distillation in a moonshine still than you might think!
This episode covers the continuous cycle of innovation and the broader ecosystem in which it takes place. It brings all of the elements of innovation together in a metaphor of my own making that I frequently use in keynotes to help people make the mental move from "innovation is something done in a department" to "together, we can all be more innovative in everything we do".
I hope you've enjoyed this first series - I'm working on concepts to cover in the next series and would welcome any input on topics you would like to see discussed in the future.
Go back to the podcast playlist
The obvious benefits of innovation like new products and services, reduced cost and operational efficiency, new customer experiences etc are well known and are generally what everyone seems to focus on when they speak about their innovation initiatives.
But there are far more benefits to being known as "An Innovative Organisation" that extend way beyond these.
This is a really short episode (around 12 minutes) but the implications are far greater than the duration.
Go back to the podcast playlist
The fear of failure paralyses people into doing nothing.
Often the longer people have been in an organisation, the more entrenched they are in their position, the less likely they are to stick their neck out for a new concept or idea.
Overcoming the fear of failure is an early hurdle that needs to be addressed as cultivating the right company culture will enable you to reap greater rewards.
In this episode I share some of the ways I have successfully managed to reduce the fear of failure and engage more people across the organisation in innovation activities.
Go back to the podcast playlist
Perhaps one of the most controversial aspects of innovation management and something I have constantly struggled with.
Do you measure revenue generated or costs saved?
What about "activity" like ideas generated or products brought to market?
I don't have all the answers but hopefully during this discussion with Martin I can help to point you in the right direction with the kind of questions you need to be asking so that you have a way of clearly communicating the impact your innovation initiatives are having.
Go back to the podcast playlist
There are many consultancies that offer to “implement an innovation process inside your organisation” – which gives the impression that it’s a box ticking exercise that can be bought and then a handle turned with “innovation” dropping out the other side - the reality is that you need to cultivate an ecosystem and not (just) have an Innovation Department.
Go back to the podcast playlist
In recent years, the media has hyped the role of a “futurist” as “someone that predicts the future”. Most people don’t consider themselves capable of envisioning the kinds of futures posited by leading futurists and they stand in awe or are bewildered by the thought process required.
In this episode I share a simple technique to use and hope that by the end of it people realise that “thinking like a futurist” is something that is well within their capability to put into practice.
Go back to the podcast playlist
Analyst group Gartner considers Corporate Culture to be the biggest threat / impediment to innovation and I agree! The goal should not be to “do” innovation but rather for the entire organisation to “be” more innovative in everything they do.
But this often requires a dramatic cultural shift across the company - which is particularly difficult the larger the organisation and the longer people have been there.
So where do you start? I share a few ideas - listen on!
Go back to the podcast playlist
How do you know what you don't know? This isn't a trick question and it stems from something a previous CEO said to me.
Many of the people that I speak to simply have no idea where or how to start looking out for the things that might have an impact on their work and life in the future. In this episode, Martin Lucas asks me about the source of the above question and we go on to discuss who in the organisation should be "scanning the horizon", where (as a minimum) they should be scanning and what they should be doing with the information they find.
Go back to the podcast playlist
There are many dimensions to the "where" question - organisational, physical, geographical etc.
In this episode, Martin Lucas asks probing questions of my experience covering:-
-
Where in the organisation does innovation take place?
-
What department or function should be responsible for innovation?
-
Who (job titles) is typically responsible for innovation?
-
How important is physical space?
-
Do you need a dedicated "lab" / bean bags / slides etc to stimulate innovation?
-
How does geography influence innovation capability?
-
Where should people focus on next?
Go back to the podcast playlist
Innovation is a hot topic right now - and it should be as your future depends on it!
But it means different things to different people and many confuse or conflate the concepts of innovation and invention.
In this episode I explore:-
-
what innovation is (and isn't)
-
the different kinds of innovation
-
why organisations need to think more innovatively
-
what you should be doing about it
Go back to the podcast playlist