the joyous explosion of ideas
the painful crunch of reality
the tricky switch from magic to logic
I
D
E
A
I
D
E
A
Make Things Better
by Making Things Different
London, 1890’s
average vehicle speed = 11 kph
London, 1990’s
average vehicle speed = 11 kph
average top speed of a chicken = 11 kph
different, but better?
1980’s
1940’s
now
different & better?
new scope
new technology
new product
new rules
new resources
opportunity
start
threat
undersupply
oversupply
underdemand
overdemand
under performance
to exploit emerging technologies
to take the leadership role
to provide better service
for better performance
for better processes
for better products
find new markets
for step change
to reduce costs
to solve problems
to do more with less
for a competitive edge
for better investor relations
to future-proof their business
for staff engagement & morale
to improve the customer experience
demographic tsunami
transformative technology
the decentralisation of authority
empowered local schools
transfer of
authority
need for
reculture
beware the
tattslotto
effect
1.
clarify the need
2.
find
the
minds
3.
build
the
teams
4.
establish
the
process
5.
satisfy the motivations
6.
reduce
the
barriers
7.
pick the project
“we’re looking for
things that don’t
work well… we
look at everyday
products that
frustrate us then
develop better
solutions”
Sir James Dyson,
inventor, CEO Dyson
If you’re not
ANNOYED
you’re just not
PAYING
ATTENTION
“Necessity may
be the mother of
invention, but
irritation is the
father”
THINGS
Lessons
Reports
Events
PT night
PD
Career Dev
Reviews
Budgets
Faster
Easier
Greener
Cleaner
Cooler
Smarter
Fairer
Safer
Cheaper
BETTER
THINGS
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
Faster?
Easier?
Greener?
Cleaner?
Cooler?
Smarter?
Fairer?
Safer?
Cheaper?
BETTER
*
high value
low effort
high value
high effort
low value
low effort
low value
high effort
value
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10
effort
1
tweak
quake
*
www.mindsatwork.com.au
*
1
it’s all gone… except you, the
community and the smartest
people you’ve ever known.
start again, your way.
MATERIAL
SHAPE
COLOUR
FUNCTION
STEEL
ROUND
RED
SEAT
PLASTIC
SQUARE
GREEN
ART
WOOD
PYRAMID
BLUE
STATUS
PLAYDOH
HELIX
BROWN
WEAPON
4 down, 252 to go
PURPOSE RECIPIENT PROVIDER
HOW
WHERE
WHEN
Educate
Student
Student
Event
School
Nights
Include
Teacher
Teacher
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Weekends
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Parent
Dialogue
Street
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Empower
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Admin
Engage
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Employers
Product
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Local biz
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Media
Media
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Retirees
Experiment Facebook
Annually
PURPOSE RECIPIENT PROVIDER
HOW
WHERE
WHEN
Educate
Student
Student
Event
School
Nights
Include
Teacher
Teacher
Project
Home
Weekends
Enlighten
Parent
Parent
Dialogue
Street
24/7
Empower
Admin
Admin
Engage
Community
Community
Game
Zoo
Birthdays
Develop
Employers
Employers
Product
Telly
2am
Inspire
Local biz
Local biz
Contest
Sky
Holidays
Challenge
Media
Media
Art
Pub
Retirees
Retirees
Experiment Facebook
Annually
*
1.
clarify the need
2.
find
the
minds
3.
build
the
teams
4.
establish
the
process
5.
satisfy the motivations
6.
reduce
the
barriers
7.
pick the project
Why not? What if? How about?
So what’s something no-one’s thought of?
Let’s try something different!
What’s the next generation of this gonna be?
What’s the 500 year plan?
I
magine
Ok, what would that look like?
Suppose it did work, how would it work?
Let’s find a way!
Could we actually do that?
So let’s describe it working from go to whoa...
What are the limitations?
I D
evelop
Prove it!
How do you know that?
Is this the best bang for the buck?
Where’s the market? What’s the risk?
Where are the numbers? What are the options?
I DE
valuate
Just Do It!
Lead, follow or get out of my way.
Why are we still talking about this?
Are we there yet?
I DEA
ct
“Why not..?”
I
“Let’s Rock!”
A
D
cycle
innovation
“Prove it!”
“We can
make that
work”
E
*
“Why not..?”
I
ON
“Let’s Rock!”
A
OFF
“Prove it!”
D
“We can
make that
work”
E
“Why not..?”
I
D
“We can
make that
work”
“Let’s Rock!”
A
“Prove it!”
E
1.
clarify the need
2.
find
the
minds
3.
build
the
teams
4.
establish
the
process
5.
satisfy the motivations
6.
reduce
the
barriers
7.
pick the project
I
D
E
A
I
D
E
A
logicalfact based
analytical quantitative
interpersonal
kinesthetic
emotional
feeling
intuitive
integrating synthesising
holistic
emotion
sequential
detailed
organised
planned
sense?
intuit?
feel?
think?
*
drone
empire builder
rebel
panic junkie party pooper
irritant
t crosser & i dotter
mastermind perfectionist
compulsive
cynic
lunatic
obsessive
nut job
neuroticiconoclast
action figure
space cadet devil’s advocate control freak
bureaucrat
scheme weaver loon
enforcer process fiend
1.
clarify the need
2.
find
the
minds
3.
build
the
teams
4.
establish
the
process
5.
satisfy the motivations
6.
reduce
the
barriers
7.
pick the project
1%
99%
inspiration
perspiration
craziness
ideal
real
old real
new real
project time
%
%
%
%
imagine develop evaluate act
“Why not..?”
I
D
% time?
ON
“Let’s Rock!”
A
OFF
“Prove it!”
“We can
make that
work”
E
“Why not..?”
I
“Let’s Rock!”
% resources?
A
“Prove it!”
D
“We can
make that
work”
E
E
A
1.
clarify the need
2.
find
the
minds
3.
build
the
teams
4.
establish
the
process
5.
satisfy the motivations
6.
reduce
the
barriers
7.
pick the project
Give me
problems!
Give me smart designs!
HIM
THAT GAL
Give
me
HER
big ideas!
Give
HERme
again a
decision!
THAT GUY
SHE
too many ideas?
Hoverbeetle
Solarolex
Handial
Pineonion
Alphaboard
Baby Victa
Video Wave
*
SOLAROLEX?
HOVERBEETLE?
HANDIAL?
PINEONION?
ALPHABOARD?
BABYVICTA?
MPWAVE?
value
10
high value
9 low effort
8
go for it
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
7
8
9 10
effort
high value work up to it
high effort
value
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10
effort
value
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
pump it up
3
2
low value
1 low effort
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9 10
effort
value
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
run away
low value
high effort
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10
effort
high value
low effort
value
student outcomes?
reputation?
growth & learning?
community benefit?
capacity building?
leadership?
financial stability?
awesomeness?
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
time?
resources?
relationship damage?
cultural drag?
structural drag?
effort
POLITICAL
AVOID?
ECONOMIC
SOCIAL
MITIGATE?
TECHNICAL
REPAIR?
LEGAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
*
getting past
the
hierarchy
won’t
go
for
it
it‘s not our problem
now‘s not a good time
it‘s not in the budget
it‘s complicated
it‘s not
been
donehappen
it‘s
gonna
it‘sit‘s
never
been
done
historical
the market won’t go for it
it‘s
political
this is not the right place
it‘s not in the charter
it‘s
not
our
job
not the way we do it around here
“it‘s always been like this”
means
the problem is much older than you think
“it‘s the same everywhere”
means
the problem is much wider than you think
“it’s not in the budget”
means
we spent the money on the wrong things
“it‘s not in the big plan”
means
the bosses didn’t think as big as you
“it‘s traditional”
means
I don’t know why we do it like this
it’s not the way we’re:
structured
funded
regulated
trained
rewarded
measured
treated
*
emotion
A B
Known
Structured
Proven
Certain
Reassuring
Unknown
Unstructured
Unproven
Uncertain
Freaky
A B
A
FAILURE
LOSS
REJECTION
RIDICULE
RISK
FEAR
ANXIETY
CONFUSION
WASTE
BLAME
SHAME
CHANGE
PAIN
EXHAUSTION
B
A
FAILURE
LOSS
REJECTION
RIDICULE
RISK
FEAR
ANXIETY
CONFUSION
WASTE
BLAME
SHAME
CHANGE
PAIN
EXHAUSTION
B
A
FAILURE
LOSS
REJECTION
RIDICULE
RISK
FEAR gain
ANXIETY
pain
CONFUSION
WASTE
BLAME
SHAME
CHANGE
PAIN
EXHAUSTION
B
misperception
*
1
2
we
things we asthings
business
usual
used to be
able do
and still
can
couldn’t do
before and
still can’t
now
3
things we
used to be
able do but
let
it now
go
can’t
4
things we
couldn’t
go
for do
it
before but
can now
“failure”
‘FAILURE’
BLAMEWORTHY
routine complex
inadequate
process/worker
accidental
violation
deliberate
violation of
crucial
practice
process or
structure too
complex to be
reliable,
effective
or able cope to
with variation
PRAISEWORTHY
novel
(chosen or forced)
exploration of
new ideas and
markets
produces
unexpected
results
yeah, but
people
HATE
change
watch cooking shows
upgrade technology
have affairs
switch jobs
change careers
renovate
dye their hair
change their look
buy, swap and sell
go to gyms
read self-help
people
follow fashion
use deedpoll
march and protest
travel
angry
bored
frustrated
lost
passionate
destiny-driven
legacy-minded
appetite
kicking &
screaming
wait n’ see
rarin'
to go
career
burnout
power
vision
power
vision
power
vision
power
vision
power
vision
vision
NO!
NO!
NO!
NO!
power
b
vision
a
all VISION
no POWER
c
no VISION
no POWER
*
VISION
& POWER
never
CARED
e
used to
CARE
d
power
no VISION
all POWER
vision
empower
power
engage
the
SHADY GROVE
experiment
(YALE UNIVERSITY)
WARD A
NO CHOICE
NO RESPONSIBILITY
WARD B
CHOICE &
RESPONSIBILITY
the
SHADY GROVE
experiment
(YALE UNIVERSITY)
WARD A
FIXED EGG DIET PLAN
FIXED MOVIE TITLE & DATE
FIXED PLANT TYPE & POSITION
SYSTEM DECIDES & PROVIDES
WARD B
CHOOSE EGG DIET PLAN
CHOOSE MOVIE TITLE & DATE
CHOOSE PLANT TYPE & POSITION
PATIENT DECIDES AND MANAGES
the
SHADY GROVE
experiment
(YALE UNIVERSITY)
WARD A
PASSIVE
WEAK
SICK
UNHAPPY
RESIGNED
DEAD
WARD B
ACTIVE
STRONG
HEALTHY
HAPPY
SELF MOTIVATED
this gives me
MEANING
I feel
I feel
VALUED
ACCEPTED
Engagement
Ring
I feel I am
I feel
DEVELOPING
CHALLENGED
this gives me
STABILITY
engage
why do we do it like this?
It’s complicated.
It’s always been like this.”
It’s traditional.
It’s like that everywhere.”
It’s just the way it is.
There are worse things.”
You can’t change it.
It’s not really that bad.”
It’s human nature.
It’s not my problem.”
Live in the real world.
It’s not really a problem.”
I just work here.
It’s political.”
might on to something
EMPOWER
might miss the bus
ENGAGE
Is the change
or
real fake?
Is the change
cultural
or just structural?
Is the change
offered
or foisted?
open
closed
genuine
opportunity?
make real
difference
blow a rare
chance
empty
rebadging?
hopes up
for nothing
told ya so
yeah, but
there just
isn’t
arse covering
turf squabbles
office intrigue
achievement
achievement
diversions
HERE
LIES
ME
www.mindsatwork.com.au
I ACHIEVED
All MY KEY
PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS
AND COMPLIED
TO ALL
DEPARTMENTAL
PROTOCOLS
www.mindsatwork.c
I
KEPT MY
HEAD
DOWN
AND ASKED
NO QUESTIONS
www.mindsatwork.c
I
MADE MY
SUPERIORS
LOOK
GOOD
www.mindsatwork.c
I
PRESERVED
THE
STATUS
QUO
www.mindsatwork.c
www.mindsatwork.com.au
I
ACTUALLY
MADE A
DIFFERENCE
www.mindsatwork.c
We help people think.
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