Friday Selection Box: 19th November 2020

Re-imagining the way businesses operate

This article poses three questions which would make a great framework for any planning workshop right now.

Who are we? Do we have a compelling, standout identity that attracts and inspires employees, investors, clients, and partners? Do we convey why we exist through a resonant purpose, a strong value agenda, and our unique culture?

How do we operate? Do we have a nimble, flat operating model in place that fosters teamwork and rapid decision making, and that values and develops talent throughout the organization—not just at the top?

How do we grow? Do we have a robust ecosystem that values internal and external partners, leverages data-rich tech platforms, and is committed to doing whatever it takes to create and maintain a continuous learning atmosphere?

Good innovation

A great blog on innovation from Nesta’s new Chief Executive, Ravi Gurumurthy that offers four challenging tests for good innovation.  If innovation is one of your values, you might want to ask yourselves these questions.

  • Are the solutions focused on outcomes that will substantially benefit society and address people’s needs and aspirations?
  • Can you demonstrate that the solution adds value to what already exists in a given field?
  • Has the solution been proven, through rigorous evaluation, to be more life changing or most cost effective than existing practices?
  • Does the solution have a credible route to large scale adoption?

A Promised Land

Barack Obama talking to David Olusoga on Radio 4 about his new book ‘A Promised Land.’

Just listen

UK Disability History Month

The 2020 theme is access and is asking the questions ‘How far have we come? How far have we to go?’ UK Disability History Month runs from the online launch on the evening of 18th November to 18th December 2020. Together! 2020 features the accompanying online arts festival

Words, actions and our brains

Really interesting piece about the potential impacts of our words and deeds on others.

Part of being a social species, it turns out, is that we regulate one another’s body budgets — the ways in which our brains manage the bodily resources we use every day. For your whole life, outside of your awareness, you make deposits into other people’s body budgets, as well as withdrawals, and others do the same for you. This has pros and cons, as well as profound implications for how we live our lives.

People’s words and actions can actually shape your brain — a neuroscientist explains how 

Glorious colour

If you haven’t come across Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam’s work before I can highly recommend it for a cold, grey November Friday. They are bursting with energy, colour and play. They make me smile every time I see them.