In this episode of the Corporate Explorer series, we dive deep into managing innovation within large corporations with Erich Kruschitz, CEO of Mavie Next. Erich shares detailed insights from his journey transforming UNIQA's exploratory unit into a successful growth engine. We explore the challenges of building and managing a team for innovation, the importance of clearly defined goals and organisational support, and the nuances of handling acquisitions and integrating diverse company cultures. K...
Aug 17, 2024•43 min•Season 28Ep. 541
William 'Bill' Damon - Crafting Purpose and Resilience In this episode, we dive deep with William 'Bill' Damon, America's leading expert on adolescence and author of 'The Path to Purpose'. Bill discusses techniques for instilling purpose and fulfilment in today's youth. We explore his extensive research, including collaborative studies with Howard Gardner and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on ethical and successful work. Bill reveals how his focus on purpose spans across various fields, such as family ...
Aug 12, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 28Ep. 540
Kim, Erin and Jonathan Clark - Leading Through: The New Paradigm of Leadership: Soul, Heart, and Mind In this episode, we delve into a profound moment of opportunity in human history, examining how organisations can harness leadership to help people and communities thrive. The discussion centres on the new book, 'Leading Through: Activating the Soul, Heart, and Mind of Leadership,' authored by Kim, Jonathan, and Erin Clark. The Clarks share their experiences from diverse fields to propose a shif...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 27Ep. 539
Ellie Charles Mann Hummel Innovating Corporate KPIs - Ellie Amirnasr and Charles Vaillant Driving Progress with Mann+Hummel's Hunter Strategy In this episode of the Corporate Explorer series, we dive into innovative business practices with Mann+Hummel's CTO/CDO Charles Vaillant and Digital Ventures Manager Ellie Amirnasr. The guests discuss the pitfalls of applying traditional KPIs too early in new business ventures and advocate for non-financial progress metrics. They introduce the 'Hunter Stra...
Aug 03, 2024•35 min•Season 27Ep. 538
Carol Tavris - Mistakes Were Made But Not By Me The Psychology of Self-Justification with Carol Tavris In this episode, Aidan McCullen interviews Carol Tavris, co-author of 'Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me),' to explore the intricacies of cognitive dissonance, self-justification, and memory. They investigate why humans find it difficult to admit mistakes, even in the presence of irrefutable evidence. Through numerous case studies and real-world examples, they discuss the implications of these ...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 27Ep. 537
David Rogers - The Digital Transformation Roadmap Part 2 Mastering Digital Transformation: Insights from David Rogers In this engaging episode, Aidan sits down with David Rogers, the author of 'The Digital Transformation Roadmap'. They delve into the significant challenges and strategies for digital transformation within organisations. Key topics include overcoming psychological and organisational debt, technical capabilities required for transformation, the importance of suitable technology, re...
Jul 24, 2024•57 min•Season 27Ep. 536
Unlocking Successful Digital Transformation: Insights from David L. Rogers In this episode, David L. Rogers, author of 'The Digital Transformation Roadmap' and 'The Digital Transformation Playbook,' joins Aidan to discuss the critical steps and challenges businesses face in their journey towards digital transformation. Rogers emphasises the importance of transforming not just products and business models but the organisation itself. He outlines five major barriers to success: vision, priorities,...
Jul 17, 2024•57 min
In the latest episode of the Corporate Explorer series, brought to you by Wazoku, we discuss the importance of balancing personal instincts with data and evidence in business decisions. Guests, Product Marketing Manager for Electric Vehicles & Customer Experience with Cadillac, Sarah Spoto and Vincent Ducret from ChangeLogic share their experiences of implementing experimental frameworks in China for General Motors. They emphasize the critical steps of assumption analysis, prioritizing hypot...
Jul 14, 2024•32 min•Season 26Ep. 534
The Power of Communication: Insights from Sally Susman, Author of 'Breaking Through' In this episode, Aiden welcomes Sally Susman, author of 'Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts, and Change the World' to discuss the vital role of communication in professional and personal settings. Sally shares insights from her extensive career, including her experiences working with top leaders at Pfizer, Estee Lauder, and American Express. The discussion explores the misconception of co...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 26Ep. 523
The Proximity Revolution: Transforming Industries and Daily Life In this episode, we delve into the proximity revolution with authors Rob C. Wolcott and Kaihan Krippendorff. The discussion centers on how digital technologies are expediting the production and delivery of customized products, services, and experiences, vastly transforming industries from agriculture to healthcare. The concept of 'proximity' shows promise in improving sustainability, optimizing supply chains, and enhancing customer...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Understanding Emotional Dynamics for Creative Problem Solving with Wendy Smith In this episode, Aidan is joined by Wendy Smith, co-author of 'Both/And Thinking,' to discuss the crucial role of emotions in addressing creative tensions and solving tough problems. Wendy emphasises moving beyond cognitive approaches to engage the heart, recognising and honouring emotions as vital to navigating uncertainty and innovation. The episode dives deep into actionable tools such as pausing to reflect, broade...
Jun 27, 2024•50 min•Season 26Ep. 531
Developing an Ecosystem Playbook for Corporate Innovation with Best Buy Case Study In this episode, we delve into the strategies corporate explorers need to develop successful partnerships and co-innovate to deliver value propositions to their consumers. Our guest, Christine Griffin, shares a six-step process for creating an ecosystem playbook, using Best Buy's expansion into the home health market as a compelling case study. We examine how Best Buy transitioned from a retail giant to an orchest...
Jun 25, 2024•21 min•Season 26Ep. 530
In this episode, we are joined again by Wendy Smith, co-author of 'Both/And Thinking: Embrace Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.' Wendy elaborates on the nuances between dilemmas, paradoxes, and tensions, emphasising that these terms are not interchangeable and revealing the psychological and practical implications of recognising and navigating paradoxes. Drawing from her personal experiences and research, Wendy illustrates how both/and thinking can be applied to career decisions...
Jun 20, 2024•48 min•Season 26Ep. 529
In this episode, we are joined by Wendy Smith, co-author of 'Both/And Thinking: Embrace Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.' Wendy elaborates on the nuances between dilemmas, paradoxes, and tensions, emphasising that these terms are not interchangeable and revealing the psychological and practical implications of recognising and navigating paradoxes. Drawing from her personal experiences and research, Wendy illustrates how both/and thinking can be applied to career decisions, orga...
Jun 13, 2024•47 min•Season 26Ep. 528
Mastering High-Stakes Conversations for Corporate Innovation In this episode, we dive into the essential techniques for leading high-stakes conversations to secure senior-level commitment to corporate innovation. Our guest, Alexander Pett, an expert in executive team dynamics, discusses the crucial concept of 'productive tension' and how recognizing and addressing disagreement can lead to authentic agreement and commitment. Pett outlines practical strategies for effectively framing issues, maint...
Jun 10, 2024•24 min•Season 26Ep. 527
Ethical Business Leadership in a Turbulent World | Alison Taylor's Insights Join Alison Taylor, NYU Stern ethics professor and author of 'Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World.' Alison shares her guidance on how companies can navigate ethical challenges in today's volatile landscape. She emphasizes the importance of going back to first principles and treating human beings with dignity and respect. Discover the significant shifts in business ethics, stakeholder c...
Jun 03, 2024•52 min•Season 26Ep. 526
Get Out of the Building: How to Gathering Customer Discovery Data with Vanessa Ceia In this episode, we explore the critical shift needed for corporate explorers to succeed—moving from an inside-out to an outside-in mindset. Highlighting Corporate Explorer Field Book chapters, we discuss how customer discovery interviews can overcome inherent corporate biases. Sponsored by Wazoku, our guest Vanessa Ceia, an innovation expert, explains the importance of different interview stages—ideation, incuba...
May 28, 2024•21 min•Season 26Ep. 525
Teresa Amabile - The Progress Principle The Progress Principle: How Small Wins Boost Motivation and Happiness at Work In the latest episode, Aidan McCullen welcomes Teresa Amabile, author of 'The Progress Principle,' to delve into her extensive research on motivation and emotions in the workplace. Amabile's study of nearly 12,000 diary entries from workers in seven companies reveals that making even small progress in meaningful work is crucial for positive emotions and high motivation. The conve...
May 23, 2024•53 min•Season 26Ep. 524
Howard Gardner: The Synthesizing Mind Sign up to our Substack to be first to know about latest events, episodes and more. https://thethursdaythought.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of the Innovation Show, Howard Gardner, renowned for his theory of multiple intelligences, discusses his memoir 'A Synthesizing Mind,' recounting his life's intellectual journey. Gardner talks about his career, his passion for understanding intelligence, his work on 'good work,' and how modern innovations like ...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 25Ep. 523
This episode delves into the challenges corporate explorers face when introducing new business opportunities, emphasising the importance of crafting compelling value propositions. Featuring guest George Glackin, co-author of a chapter on value flows and design criteria maps, the discussion highlights these tools as essential for developing products or services that truly delight customers. Through the Swiffer Wet Jet case study, the effectiveness of these methodologies in real-world application ...
May 13, 2024•18 min•Season 25Ep. 522
Dan Ariely Navigating Misinformation with Empathy: Misbelief with Dan Ariely This episode features Dan Ariely, author of 'Misbelief, what makes rational people believe irrational things', focusing on the psychology behind misinformation and belief in conspiracy theories. Ariely discusses how stress, personality traits, and social dynamics contribute to the spread of false beliefs, emphasising the importance of resilience and trust in combating misinformation. He shares personal experiences, incl...
May 06, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 25Ep. 521
Unpacking Mindfulness and Positive Psychology with Ellen Langer This podcast episode features Ellen Langer, known as the mother of mindfulness and positive psychology, discussing her latest book 'The Mindful Body' and its comprehensive insights into achieving chronic health through mindfulness. Langer covers a variety of topics, from the pitfalls of social comparison to the power of positive framing and the immense control people have over their health and happiness through mindful practices. Th...
May 04, 2024•59 min•Season 25Ep. 520
In this episode of the Corporate Explorer series by Wazoku, we delve into the concept of customer-first practices and their impact on bridging the maturity gap in corporate innovation. Michael Nichols, coauthor of the Corporate Explorer Field Book and Director of Corporate Ventures for MANN + HUMMEL, shares insights on the challenges of inside-out innovation within corporations, emphasizing the importance of validating business models beyond core business practices. He discusses the common pitfa...
Apr 29, 2024•37 min•Season 25Ep. 519
An Interview with Ellen Langer: The Power of Mindfulness in Health and Life The script features an interview with Ellen Langer, the first woman to be tenured in psychology at Harvard. Known worldwide as the mother of mindfulness and the mother of Positive Psychology, she shares insights from her esteemed career and her latest book, 'The Mindful Body Thinking, our Way to Lasting Health'. Langer discusses her role in pioneering research in Mind Body Unity and emphasizes the importance of mindfulne...
Apr 25, 2024•55 min•Season 26Ep. 518
In this final of a 4-part episode, Rita McGrath discusses her upcoming book focused on how organisations can design structures that empower decision-making at all levels, embracing a 'permissionless' approach to innovation. She elaborates on the importance of engaging disengaged workforces and optimising for transient competitive advantages. Rita provides insightful tactics for assessing competitive landscapes, using various strategies like onslaughts, guerrilla campaigns, feints, and gambits. S...
Apr 20, 2024•46 min•Season 25Ep. 517
The Power of Collective Intelligence with Simon Hill Harnessing Global Creativity for Innovation: A Wazoku Story This episode examines the power of collective intelligence and open innovation, focusing on Wazoku, a company that facilitates innovation through technology. The discussion highlights a story where an individual from India solved a carbonated drink company's bubble manipulation challenge, exemplifying global problem-solving capabilities. Simon Hill, Wazoku's CEO, elaborates on the imp...
Apr 16, 2024•28 min•Season 25Ep. 516
In this extensive session with Rita McGrath, Aiden explores the timeless insights of McGrath's book on embodying an entrepreneurial mindset in businesses. McGrath emphasises the importance of continuous innovation, exploiting new opportunities, and building new competencies to stay competitive. The conversation covers key concepts like the significance of key ratios, creating new competence, understanding consumption chains, and the necessity of political savvy within corporate innovation. McGra...
Apr 12, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 25Ep. 515
In part 2 of The Entrepreneurial Mindset, Rita McGrath, discusses the concept of the entrepreneurial mindset and the power of consumption chain analysis for businesses seeking to differentiate and innovate. Rita illustrates how understanding each step of a customer's journey, from need identification to product disposal, can unveil numerous opportunities for innovation and competitive advantage. She shares insightful examples ranging from grocery shopping to the historical battle between Betamax...
Apr 07, 2024•31 min•Season 25Ep. 514
Harnessing the Entrepreneurial Mindset for Innovation and Growth This script delves into a conversation with Rita McGrath, author of 'The Entrepreneurial Mindset,' exploring principles for thriving in rapidly changing environments. McGrath shares her personal journey from industry to academia, emphasizing the importance of understanding practical business applications. The script covers themes such as the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset in recognizing and acting on business opportunitie...
Apr 05, 2024•56 min•Season 25Ep. 513
Innovating Within the Military: Challenge-Driven Innovation and Connected Intelligence This episode of the Corporate Explorer, recorded in London during the launch of the Corporate Explorer field book and powered by Wazoku, features Stuart Laws from the UK's Defense Innovation Unit. The discussion explores how challenge-driven innovation has transformed problem-solving within the military, moving away from a traditional idea-generation model to one that actively involves business units in framin...
Apr 02, 2024•16 min•Season 24Ep. 512
