Function: noun
1 : the introduction of something new
2 : a new idea, method, or device: novelty
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Successful innovation requires vision, passion, creativity and entrepreneurship. A helping hand can be useful and that's my work: helping people and organizations to innovate. I do that through research, consultancy, writing and story-telling.
Nutshell
'We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them'
(Albert Einstein, 1879-1955)
My work consists out of four activities: research, consultancy, writing and story-telling. It's always about innovation, about our ability to reinvent ourselves. The focus is on the public sector: that's where we have most gain in terms of innovation. I'm always looking for new ideas that help to solve societal problems. For that we need all the creativity we can mobilise. In my work I help people and their organisations to see new possibilities and to act on them. It's always possible to do things better, smarter and more creatively.
Research
The most important research project I will be working on in the coming years is In Search of Excellent Government. When it comes to operational excellence and innovation we have a strong tendency to look at business. However, there is a lot of excellence and innovation in the public sector as well. We just know very little about it because there is not much comparative international research across different policy areas.
My second research project is the Knowledge Economy Guide. It's an comparative international study of innovative hotspots throughout the world. I'll be mapping the innovation systems of these hotspots to find out how they made the transformation from an industrial society to a knowledge society.
Consultancy
'An idea is true if it works', wrote the American pragmatic philosopher John Dewey. That is what makes working as a consultant so inspiring and challenging. Because in the end it's always about the practical results for me. I have advised many ministries, provincial and city authorities on a wide range of innovation issues. For companies my work mainly concerns new business opportunities that arise from societal issues. And I coach a number of young people in their development as leaders of innovation.
Writing
Writing is a great way to share ideas with others. It's also a way to start a dialogue, even with people I have never met. For me the writing process is a way of coming up with new ideas, preferably in the late evening and early morning. A lot of my writing is done for projects, in a style that is understandable to informed outsiders. I write for two Dutch magazines on a regular basis and occasionally I write op-ed articles for newspapers and magazines.
Story-telling
Another way to share and exchange ideas is by storytelling. It's something we humans have done for thousands of years. It started around the campfire, as a way of entertaining each other and sharing knowledge. Nowadays we have central heating in conference halls, but the essence of storytelling hasn't changed. Since 1999 I've given over 300 lectures on knowledge economy and innovation, and have always done so with joy. I often chair and facilitate conferences on knowledge economy, innovation and the public sector, to create the space for others to tell their stories.