Treasure 114 – People, Innovation, Complexity

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How do you successfully implement your goals for 2020? Is there a guarantee of success for innovation? How can you be successful in a highly dynamic and uncertain environment? Here is treasure 114, the first in the new decade. At the same time the treasure also sets course for me as company pirate. Where should my journey take me in 2020? Three areas have emerged.

My favorite thing is to work with people. On the one hand on the individual level. What are their motivators? What is their vision? How can I support them? On the other hand with teams. How do teams work together? How does leadership work? Then there is also the topic of communities and networks.

Since I’m passionate about innovation, this can’t be missing. Now and then there are interesting new technologies and trends – in other words, the what. Most of the time, however, i’ll write about the why and how. In this area, I will certainly share some of the knowledge about Supplier Enabled Innovation that I have built up over the last few months.

I have difficulties to name the third area. Let’s call it complexity. This category includes topics such as decisions under uncertainty, dynamic markets as well as coincidences and surprises. In 2020 I want to learn more about theories and tools in complex environments. A few own articles will certainly help me to digest what I have learned and to further develop myself.

Nugget 1 – How do you successfully implement your 2020 goals?

Same as Mark Poppenborg, I also constantly see “You can do anything” videos in my feeds. In the last few days you can hear about good intentions at all ends. Although I consume quite a lot from the intrinsify universe, I ignored this video and the corresponding blog post in December. When I saw it again at the beginning of 2020, I took a look at it. Meanwhile I’m thinking about whether I should try the visualization of target states too.

I have not made any big resolutions for 2020. The most important thing for me is to do sport regularly again. My former basketball team and with it a weekly routine is definitely missing. It’s time to establish appropriate habits again. I think about how the corresponding target state should look like. Basketball Bundesliga pointguard or a six-pack belly would be a bit exaggerated, wouldn’t it?

As Companypirate I would like to write more own articles again. I’ve already come up with the right visualization – LinkedIn Top Voice 2020 – will you support me? What are your goals for 2020? (12 min, video, German)

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Nugget 2 – Is there a guarantee of success for innovation?

The picture with the package of seeds about Jean-Philippe Hagmanns article promises quick, easy and guaranteed success. In reality, many activities related to innovation are just one thing – a lot of theatre. To be honest, I too have experienced a lot of theatre about innovation in 2019. I don’t want to whine about 2019 at this point, but rather take up three aspects from the article and translate them into projects for 2020. Perhaps I should also use Mark Poppenborg’s technique for success.

  • “Innovation, i.e. the shaping of the future, is a highly strategic topic and requires a good, direct and honest line to the company management.”
    Probably this is one of the most important tasks in 2020 and at the same time it seems to me to be the most difficult one. The automotive industry is having a tough time right now. So it’s not surprising that the focus is often on day-to-day business and short-term successes are a priority for management.
  • “The downside, however, is the inevitable industry blindness that inevitably creeps in as soon as you have had to deal with day-to-day problems for a long time.”
    In 2020, I’ll be providing even more external stimulus. Two brownbag lunches with external participation are already fixed for the first quarter. Other than that, I will regularly share external perspectives in our learning community. If I can provide an external impulse in your company, please contact me.
  • “An innovation arises from the solution of an unmet or previously poorly satisfied (customer) need.”
    Probably the key phrase throughout the article. In my previous role, I have dealt a lot with requirements engineering. I would like to use this experience in 2020 to better understand the needs of my internal and external customers.

And what are your goals regarding innovation? Maybe we can learn together. I look forward to your message or comment under this treasure. (13 min, text, German)

Wie aus dem Wunsch nach Innovation schnell Innovationstheater wird

Nugget 3 – How to be successful with high dynamics and uncertainty ?

How are the sales figures for passenger cars developing? What is the right drive technology? How fast is autonomous driving coming? Not only the automotive industry is currently characterized by a high degree of uncertainty. The “Taylor Tub” on slide 3 of Heiko Bartlog is also hitting other sectors. It is therefore all the more surprising that most companies continue to work cheerfully with the tools from the age of the Taylorist industry under a high degree of uncertainty. Normally, a screw does not move an inch further when it is tapped in with a hammer. It may bend or break off. But this is not the desired result.

In 2020 I would therefore like to expand my toolbox for high dynamics, improve my handling of the known tools and also pass on my knowledge. For example, on March 25th I will give a keynote at REConf on the topic of coincidences and surprises. The black swan on slide 4 is included. I also have some examples in the talk where surprises led to great success. This is where I close the link to innovation.

Which tools do you use under high dynamics? Where do you currently lack tools? Let us work together in the context of an event (lecture, workshop). I am looking forward to your message here as well. (12 min, slides, German)