Repeat addiction and the potency of doing something only once.
There is something bitter-sweet about doing something for the first time. The sweetness comes from fully experiencing the vibrant edge of not-knowing. If I’m doing..
Emptiness and form. To structure or not to structure.
When it comes to designing experiments, workshops and other social interventions, structure isn’t inherently bad. Nor is it inherently good. And although I tend towards..
Lists are compelling. Especially those associated with our own personal development. And even though I think that, deep down, we know most of the lists..
Seeking or settling? The shadow of self improvement.
Fritz Perls, one of the founders of gestalt psychology once said something like “Those that lives their lives totally focussed on the future never catch..
Head of vile serpents, Avoid her furious gaze, Lest ye turn to stone. Greek legend tells the story of Medusa the Gorgon, a monstrous creature with hair..
So you want more creativity in the workplace? Are you serious?
As human beings interact with each other they participate in a process of civilising. An ongoing social process of negotiating the norms and cult values*..
Traces, trails and the impermanence of organisings
Although I have experienced 10 leap years during my time on this planet, the 29th February 2016 was the first time I’ve intentionally marked the occasion..
Fertile vs. Fruitful – Does cash stifle creative experimentation?
“How’s business?” I was surprised that this simple inquiry had stumped me. Thinking that I’d not understood the question, the friendly pixelated face on Skype said..
Trout starvation and silent contracts: On networks versus communities
I’ve never been that fond of conferences. I remember right back at the beginning of my corporate career the familiar cycle of excitement and anticipation..
Awareness, application and a worrying stuckness in personal development
In 1334, the Duchess of Tyrol encircled the castle of Hochosterwitz, a stronghold built on a steep rock and impenetrable to direct attack. The Duchess..
Org charts and the Underground: The map is not the territory
I’m a fan of London and one of my favourite activities in the city is to walk. I try to walk everywhere if at all possible and it is through many years of doing this that I’ve got to know how the different parts of the city join up.
Stop thinking outside the box! All you need is NOW!
I feel slightly reluctant to challenge the much used creativity/innovation mantra “think outside the box” as I’m sure it has helped many people to break..
Living life in slow motion – being deeply curious about literally everything!
Last weekend I had an unexpected emergency operation to remove my appendix that had become dangerously inflamed. I consider myself lucky that, aged almost 40,..
I’ve always been slightly underwhelmed by innovation. That isn’t completely true – I’ve been blown away by innovations themselves but have been consistently underwhelmed by..
Be obvious – be altered! Since my two worlds of organisation consulting and improvisation started to overlap around 3 years ago I’ve drawn many lessons..
I spent yesterday hanging around in a factory. Something I find fascinating and enjoy doing and something I’ve done many times before. The day before..
