The100: Shadows of the future and the benefits of embarrassment

Embarrassment has its riches

We all (okay, some of us) love a brainstorming session. This new research has shown that the trick is to start it by telling an embarrassing story to the group. It will lead to a broader range of creative ideas. And it certainly explains why the WMT team are so good at creative thinking  😉

Success is written by the victors

Here’s a fantastic take down on the utter propaganda in business success stories. The importance of luck, of timing, and how we must make our own way rather than relying on the formulas and dogma of others.

My selective misquote:

“…they had concluded that having a blue logo was the key factor in their extraordinary performance”  🙂

Shadow of the future

Rory writes this month on continuation probability (long term self interest) and how important it is for business growth.  He also addresses the classic behaviour where consumers have more loyalty to a company that fixes a problem it creates, than if the problem had never occurred.

It’s a bold company that pushes this to its natural conclusion.

“A photograph that’s made in a fraction of a second can take a lifetime to reveal its meaning”

3 years ago I was lucky enough to be in the audience when Daniel Meadows got up to speak. His films (there are many, I can’t possibly choose one) are touching and brilliant. Here he writes about what he has learnt. It’s a must read for anyone wanting to tell better stories.

8 ways to spread the Insight

This list of ways “we [can] better translate our findings into compelling insights and anecdotes for others to embrace and enjoy” is very handy, even if we don’t all have the budgets to set up a mini-museum as per Facebook!

In praise of   “             ”

This video (advert) from North Face is called Imagination and it kindled the memory of a fantastic article that the DJ Lauren Laverne wrote back in 2014 on being a digital immigrant (born before 1985). How these days:

“The daydreaming silences in our lives are filled; the burning solitudes are extinguished.”

It’s an article that changed how I behaved from that day on.

SNAFU Parenting Advice

And finally, yet another article to prove what a rubbish parent I am. Apparently I should be reframing arguments between my kids as debates, not conflicts (you read it here).

They say it makes for more creative people.

Wish me luck. [Dons helmet and tiptoes into the conflict debate zone]