Fredrik Härén's Blog, page 3
April 3, 2025
The Creativity Suite. Episode 154: Retrospection
Interview with Andres Bernasconi, SVP, IT and Product Development Fintech at Mercado Libre.
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“What do you do?” is perhaps the most common question when we meet someone new. We want to know their profession. But perhaps we should ask “What have you done?” as that might be a much better way of understanding who someone really is. Our acts create who we are. Not our titles.
And “What have I done?” is also a great question to ask oneself much more often than we actually do. Retrospection – the action of looking back on or reviewing past events or situations, especially those in one’s own life – is what builds judgment.
Unlike simple reflection or evaluation, retrospection is a deliberate, past-oriented practice aimed at honing our understanding and strengthening our judgment.
As creatives, we should engage in retrospection more often about the work we have done. While ‘retrospect’ is not commonly used as a verb, perhaps it should be. As creatives, we need a clear call to action: not only to reflect, but to actively ‘retrospect’ on what we have done to refine our judgment.
Too many people put too much emphasis on a person coming up with ideas, but it is the person who has the ability to judge if an idea should actually be tried, that has the real creative skill. And that skill – the skill of understanding if an idea is worthy of being pursued – is a skill that comes from having good judgement.
And good judgment comes not just from having experiences, but from having spent time retrospecting on those experiences.
This text was inspired by a conversation with Andres Bernasconi, SVP, IT and Product Development Fintech at Mercado Libre.
With over 80,000 employees – 6,000 of whom report to Andres – Mercado Libre is Latin America’s leading e-commerce and fintech company. Working in such a dynamic, fast-growing fintech environment across multiple, diverse countries, Andres constantly relies on retrospection.
What has been working well? What did not work well, and why? What has changed in the market, how does the strategy need to adapt? How is the culture of the organisation changing over time? What does that mean?
In a world so focused on the future, we should actually be more focused on the past. Not to use it as a rear-view mirror, but to use it as a catalyst of insights that we will only find if we make an active and conscious decision to really find the lessons hidden in our previous actions and acts.
In the words of Andres: “Most people are so caught up in what they need to do next that they forget to learn from what they have already done. But if you do take that time, you build judgment. And with judgment comes the ability to make the right decisions.”
In summary: Creativity is not about “having ideas”, it is about having the ability to have ideas, develop ideas and making the best ones happen. Having the judgment to know which ideas to develop and how to is arguably the thickest cornerstone in the creative process. And this judgment comes from really learning from previous experiences and from understanding the present so that we can see the future. The people who are the best of doing that are the people who are the best at retrospecting.
The post The Creativity Suite. Episode 154: Retrospection first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
March 27, 2025
The Creativity Suite. Episode 153: R&D stands for Receptive & Deploying
Interview with Daniel Häggmark, CEO at Monitor ERP System Asia.
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Be inspired by Monitor ERP to rethink of R&D stands for.
Unless you work in manufacturing you will be forgiven if you have not heard of Monitor, but you really should know about them. And learn from them.
When it comes to ERP companies and their revenue Monitor EPR is not the biggest – actually, far from it. But Monitor has been awarded best ERP system in Sweden 7 years in a row (!) and when it comes to the market of ERP system for small and medium manufacturing companies Monitor has an almost 50% (!) market share in Sweden.Their Net Promotor Score (how happy customers are with a supplier) is off the charts. Monitor has a NPS of 30. SAP is at MINUS 40…
In other words, they are the David in a world of ERP Goliath’s,- and they punch well above their weight.
So how can they be so extremely successful with their clients?
One reason is how they approach product development. Monitor work very close to their customers and monitors (sic!) their needs and suggestions.
Instead of traditional R&D, as in “Research and Development”, Monitor applies what can be called R&D as in “Receptive and Deploying.”
Receptive to what the clients wants and needs, and then a quick and responsive way of deploying these requests.
Unlike other ERP providers who work with partners, Monitor deals with their clients directly, making it much easier for them to pick up suggestions from their clients.
And while partners are keen on selling “customisations” of standard ERP systems (because that is how they make money) Monitor is more keen on developing standard solutions that are functional and effective for the clients from the start.
Being “Receptive & Deploying” means to have a laser focus on being efficient on supplying solutions that the clients are asking for, or will be asking for soon.
It is a mindset of relentless focus on the needs of the customer.
Be honest: Do you have a relentless focus on your customers needs?
A surprisingly large number of companies actually seem to have lost that as they focus on things like “research” and “development” and “innovation”.
No, the focus should be on being receptive of the needs of the customer.
The key here is “receptive” as in “being willing to consider or accept new suggestions and ideas” and to then be nimble and quick enough to deploy these ideas.
In short, invest in R&D: “Receptive & Deploying”.
This text was written after an interview with Daniel Häggmark, CEO at Monitor ERP Asia ERP System Asia. By applying the mindset of Receptive & Deploying they have grown in Asia from just a few people a few years ago to now accounting for 20% of all of Monitor’s staff.
The post The Creativity Suite. Episode 153: R&D stands for Receptive & Deploying first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
March 24, 2025
The Creativity Suite. Episode 152: Unalienizing
Interview with Ashley Moran, Marketing and Category Director at Pilgrim’s Food Masters in Ireland.
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Have you ever faced resistance when introducing a new idea or innovation? Often, this pushback occurs because the novelty is perceived as alien. This is where the concept of ‘unalienizing’ comes in.
The fact is that people trying to introduce new ideas, new innovations or new technology are often met with resistance because the novelty is seen as alien by other people.
By that follows that to get people to accept your ideas you need to unalienize it to them.
The art of unalienizing can be defined as:
“The art of unalienizing involves making something less alien or foreign by fostering familiarity, relatability, and inclusion. It’s about transforming estrangement into a sense of belonging and connection.”
I learned about the skill of unalienizing during a conversation with Ashley Moran, Marketing and Category Director at Pilgrim’s Food Masters in Ireland. Pilgrim’s Food Masters is the UK’s largest producer of delicious meats, chilled & frozen ready meals for every major UK & Ireland supermarket.
Ashley was part of the team that took meat free sausages to the market. She explained to me how the idea of launching a meat free sausage was alien to most people within Pilgrim’s Food Masters before the launch was done. Most people looked meat to be at the center of what Pilgrim’s Food Masters did. Ashley herself was, in the beginning, reluctant to see how successful a sausage with no meat could become.
But then she described the way she unalienized the idea of a plant based sausage to herself. First she went to trade-fairs to try out what was on the market, then she visited their test kitchen where their own products were being developed, and then she attended customer taste test events where she could study the reaction of potential customers.
She told me: “In the beginning I said to myself. ‘I just can’t see this (plant based sausages) taking off.’ but the more I studied it, the more I researched it, and – crucially – the more I tasted it (!) I slowly warmed to the idea.”
Ashley specifically remembers the day she was won over. She had just tried a plant-based sausage where she really could not tell if it had meat or not. Suddenly the idea of Pilgrim’s Food Masters selling sausages with no meat was not alien to her anymore.
She calls this moment “The Moment of Proof”. The Moment of Proof is the other side of the coin of “The moment of truth.” The Moment of Truth is from the perspective of the person trying to get his idea accepted (In this case the person SERVING the meat-free sausage.) The Moment of Proof is from the perspective of the person there to be convinced (In this case Ashley being convinced that the meat-free sausage will work.)
The Moment of Proof is the moment when you feel that you have received enough proof/evidence/affirmation about something new that is presented to you that you are willing to buy into it.
I asked Ashley for three steps that one can take to become better at unalienizing someone. She summed it up as follows:
1) Seeing is believing.
Get people to experience
Ashley: “Having us develop our first own meat-free sausage was so important for us to warm to the idea.”
2) Reassurance is reassuring
To get people open to new ideas they need to feel that things are going in the right direction, so search for situations where that positive momentum can be experienced.
Ashley: “The lovely moment when you see the consumer liking (the meat-free sausage) gave us the confidence to move forward.”
3) Engage to get engagement
Create momentum by engaging the different stakeholders to be involved in making the idea happen.
Ashley: “Engaging the business to get ready was crucial. That included getting our trade partners onboard to put the products on the shelf. We all got onboard.”
Finally Ashley stresses the need for a safe environment when trying to unalienize someone to a new idea. Ashley: “You need to be in a safe space that takes you in a good head space when trying to warm to a new idea.”
Hearing Ashley talk about the concept of unalienation I get a picture of the movie E.T. in my head. Just like Elliott in the movie E.T., who went from fear to friendship with the alien, unalienizing involves a gradual process of acceptance and understanding.
Assignment:
Now, think about something you currently find alien. How can you apply the steps of unalienizing to become more comfortable and accepting of it?
The post The Creativity Suite. Episode 152: Unalienizing first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
March 23, 2025
The Creativity Suite. Episode 151: The art of disassuming
Interview with Leslie Shannon, Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting at Nokia.
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As Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting at Nokia, Leslie Shannon’s job is to identify connectivity-related tech disruptions and opportunities, including developments in robotics, drones, visual analytics, cloud gaming, generative AI. In a way she is an in-house futurist.
But when I asked her to describe what she does she said: “I need to constantly be questioning my assumptions.”
To her, the most important part of the job is not to understand all the new technologies emerging, but to have the skill to revise her assumptions around what the future of the world will look like.
She told me that she constantly evaluates her assumptions, and every six months she sits down for a major overhaul of her fundamental assumptions.
The skill of reviewing one’s assumptions is as valuable as it is rare.
To have the guts to re-evaluate one’s world view based on new information, to dare to say out-loud that you were wrong, takes honesty and humility.
Let’s call this skill “The art of disassuming”.
To assume is to think: “This is what I think, based on what I know.”
To disassume is to think: “This might be where I have to change my mind based on what I recently learned”
To disassume is a made up word, but it’s a word we need, because the practice of disassumption is a skill we need.
We especially need this art when we are successful.
In the words of Leslie Shannon: “Success cements assumptions, and assumptions breed blindness.”
It’s so easy to think you know how to do something when you have been successful doing just that.
But the world changes, and what used to be right can now be wrong. (Leslie works for Nokia after all, a company that learnt that the hard way.)
As a futurist in the fast changing world of digital communication, Leslie is a pro at disassuming. I asked her to share with me some techniques we can use to make sure that our wrong assumptions don’t blind us.
She said: “We need to constantly rethink the stories we tell ourselves. We need to stop, pause, take a step back and question your assumptions. An assumption, after all, is a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen – without proof.”
Leslie stresses that disassuming is a deliberate act, something you decide to do.
She also gave us three insights on how to develop an effective disassuming mindset.
1) Open
Leslie: “The trick is to be constantly open, to be consciously open and to be purposely open.”
Open-mindedness is the anti-dote to getting stuck in outdated assumptions.
2) Uncomfortable
Leslie: “When you find something that makes you uncomfortable, lean into it. Follow the uncomfortable – it probably means that the thing that is making you uncomfortable is challenging your assumptions.”
Leslie shared how, when she was studying new Generative AI trends, first assumed that the power of the AI would be in the cloud and that it would be great for network operators like Nokia, so when people started talking about the possibilities of Gen AI being run locally on a phone her first reaction was to dismiss it. But that uncomfortable feeling pushed her to re-assess her views on how Generative AI might be serviced in the future.
3) Memory
Leslie: “Remember what you said. In order to be able to reevaluate your assumptions you need to be able to compare the new assumptions to the old. To just talk about the newest, latest thing is easy. To compare your old thought with your new is harder – but also more valuable. The future is not a point, it’s a vector.”
Leslie is bubbling with positive energy when we talk, and I get a sense that the ability to challenge your own assumptions is not just a recipe for success, but also a recipe for happiness.
Her final words to me are profound: “What makes the practice of disassuming so difficult is that our assumptions often become a key part of our identity. Whenever you find yourself thinking, “I’m a person who always/never . . .” – what follows isn’t actually who you are, it’s an assumption. “I’m a person who never eats mangoes,” or “I’m a person who always votes for this political party,” or “I’m a person who will work at this employer for the rest of my career,” are all examples of assumptions that can keep you from seeing new possibilities, both in yourself and in the world around you. Yet these kinds of identity assumptions and the consequent blindness that they create are the most difficult to conquer because we feel that the very core of who we are is threatened if we question them.
You have to ask yourself, “Will who I truly am vanish in some way if I eat a mango?” or “Will who I truly am vanish in some way if I’m made redundant?” The answer is almost always no, and you may find that mangoes are delicious and your next job is far better than your last one. But you won’t know until you disassume even the things that seem most central to who you “are”.”
A disassuming mind is in a conscious state of constantly questioning how one looks at the world in order to change as soon as that is the right thing to do.
We should be disassuming more often.
What assumptions could you get rid of if you actively engage in the act of disassuming?
The post The Creativity Suite. Episode 151: The art of disassuming first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
The art of disassuming (Episode 151)
As Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting at Nokia, Leslie Shannon’s job is to identify connectivity-related tech disruptions and opportunities, including developments in robotics, drones, visual analytics, cloud gaming, generative AI. In a way she is an in-house futurist.
But when I asked her to describe what she does she said: “I need to constantly be questioning my assumptions.”
To her, the most important part of the job is not to understand all the new technologies emerging, but to have the skill to revise her assumptions around what the future of the world will look like.
She told me that she constantly evaluates her assumptions, and every six months she sits down for a major overhaul of her fundamental assumptions.
The skill of reviewing one’s assumptions is as valuable as it is rare.
To have the guts to re-evaluate one’s world view based on new information, to dare to say out-loud that you were wrong, takes honesty and humility.
Let’s call this skill “The art of disassuming”.
To assume is to think: “This is what I think, based on what I know.”
To disassume is to think: “This might be where I have to change my mind based on what I recently learned”
To disassume is a made up word, but it’s a word we need, because the practice of disassumption is a skill we need.
We especially need this art when we are successful.
In the words of Leslie Shannon: “Success cements assumptions, and assumptions breed blindness.”
It’s so easy to think you know how to do something when you have been successful doing just that.
But the world changes, and what used to be right can now be wrong. (Leslie works for Nokia after all, a company that learnt that the hard way.)
As a futurist in the fast changing world of digital communication, Leslie is a pro at disassuming. I asked her to share with me some techniques we can use to make sure that our wrong assumptions don’t blind us.
She said: “We need to constantly rethink the stories we tell ourselves. We need to stop, pause, take a step back and question your assumptions. An assumption, after all, is a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen – without proof.”
Leslie stresses that disassuming is a deliberate act, something you decide to do.
She also gave us three insights on how to develop an effective disassuming mindset.
1) Open
Leslie: “The trick is to be constantly open, to be consciously open and to be purposely open.”
Open-mindedness is the anti-dote to getting stuck in outdated assumptions.
2) Uncomfortable
Leslie: “When you find something that makes you uncomfortable, lean into it. Follow the uncomfortable – it probably means that the thing that is making you uncomfortable is challenging your assumptions.”
Leslie shared how, when she was studying new Generative AI trends, first assumed that the power of the AI would be in the cloud and that it would be great for network operators like Nokia, so when people started talking about the possibilities of Gen AI being run locally on a phone her first reaction was to dismiss it. But that uncomfortable feeling pushed her to re-assess her views on how Generative AI might be serviced in the future.
3) Memory
Leslie: “Remember what you said. In order to be able to reevaluate your assumptions you need to be able to compare the new assumptions to the old. To just talk about the newest, latest thing is easy. To compare your old thought with your new is harder – but also more valuable. The future is not a point, it’s a vector.”
Leslie is bubbling with positive energy when we talk, and I get a sense that the ability to challenge your own assumptions is not just a recipe for success, but also a recipe for happiness.
Her final words to me are profound: “What makes the practice of disassuming so difficult is that our assumptions often become a key part of our identity. Whenever you find yourself thinking, “I’m a person who always/never . . .” – what follows isn’t actually who you are, it’s an assumption. “I’m a person who never eats mangoes,” or “I’m a person who always votes for this political party,” or “I’m a person who will work at this employer for the rest of my career,” are all examples of assumptions that can keep you from seeing new possibilities, both in yourself and in the world around you. Yet these kinds of identity assumptions and the consequent blindness that they create are the most difficult to conquer because we feel that the very core of who we are is threatened if we question them.
You have to ask yourself, “Will who I truly am vanish in some way if I eat a mango?” or “Will who I truly am vanish in some way if I’m made redundant?” The answer is almost always no, and you may find that mangoes are delicious and your next job is far better than your last one. But you won’t know until you disassume even the things that seem most central to who you “are”.”
A disassuming mind is in a conscious state of constantly questioning how one looks at the world in order to change as soon as that is the right thing to do.
We should be disassuming more often.
What assumptions could you get rid of if you actively engage in the act of disassuming?
The post The art of disassuming (Episode 151) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
February 27, 2025
The Creativity Suite. Episode 150: Bispective – the unique competence of being able to see something from both perspectives.
Interview with Margit Kunz, Chief Executive Director at The German-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
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A person (Person A) who has worked in an advertising agency her whole life has a lot of experience in creating advertising. She has a certain perspective on advertising. A person (Person B) who has worked in a marketing department her whole life has a lot of experience in commissioning advertising campaigns. She, also, has a certain perspective on advertising.
But a person (Person C) who has worked both in an advertising agency (creating ads) and in a marketing department (commissioning ads) has the unique competence which comes from seeing the creation of advertising from both sides.
Person C has a “bispective” on advertising.
Bispective is a made up word created by combining the Latin word for “two” (bi) with the word “perspective” where “spec” means “to observe”.
So a person who can look at a situation from two perspectives has a “bispective”.
Here are some other examples of expertise that will generate bispective:
– A sales person who previously worked as head of procurement, who can now understand how people who buy services think.
– A person who becomes a parent, and can now understand both how it feels to be a child, but also can take the perspective of a parent.
– A former lobbyist who switches sides and becomes a politician, and who can now better understand the struggles of politicians trying to make their voters happy.
Having bispective is like having two eyes instead of one. A person with just one eye loses some ability to perceive depth, and a person with just one perspective on something loses the ability to perceive depth of understanding in that area.
I learned about bispective from Margit Kunz, Chief Executive Director at The German-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
A chamber of commerce always has bispective. They represent their home country (in Margit’s case, Germany) but they also represent the local market in which they work (in Margit’s current case “Belgium and Luxembourg).
In her previous life, Margit has worked both as a PR-person for a local theatre as well as a local journalist. By working both in PR and journalism gave Margit “bispective” on “media”.
According to Margit, having bispective gives a person many advantages:
1) You can better anticipate different outcomes, and you work on it much faster.
2) You become more emphatic towards your counterpart and can more easily see their point of view.
3) You get the ability to play through different scenarios and look at a situation from different angles.
And as she then added: “And on good days it allows you to be more open minded – you become less confrontational. You can more easily respect the other side and it becomes easier to change your initial plan or your strategy when you are wrong.”
The more I hear about bispective, the more I realise that it’s the opposite of an extremist. And it’s a very powerful tool. Having bispective makes you more curious, less judgmental, more open-minded and more empathetic.
After having been a professional speaker for 20 years I was tasked to organise a conference for professional speakers in 2018. Suddenly, I found myself on the other side of the “booking a speaker-table”. I thought I understood the process of booking a speaker – after all, I had been booked as a speaker more than 2000 times; but when I was the one actually booking the speakers I suddenly looked at the process in a totally new way. Getting frustrated with speakers for not sending in their slides on time made me appreciate the patience of meeting planners. Having speakers requesting a lot of changes to the schedule, length of speech etc, made me aware of the need for speakers to be more accommodating. Hearing speakers ignoring the brief I had been giving them, made me promise myself to always pay full attention to speaker briefs, and so on.
Organising a conference for speakers made me a better speaker to work with for conference organisers because now I had bispective on the speaker booking process.
Most people speak just one language, but, according to the Journal of Neurolinguistics, 43% of the world’s population is bilingual, as in “utilising two languages daily.”
A person who is bilingual not only knows how to speak two languages but being bilingual also increases creativity, flexibility and open-mindedness – and might very likely have a better cultural awareness.
Just as the world is getting aware of the advantage of speaking two languages, we also need to become more aware of the huge advantages of people having bispective on what they do.
How could you get a bispective on what you do?
The post The Creativity Suite. Episode 150: Bispective – the unique competence of being able to see something from both perspectives. first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
February 26, 2025
Kai-taku-sha – One who cultivates the frontier (Episode 247)
The Japanese have given us some wonderful concepts related to creativity. Like Kaizen (改善), the art of continuous improvement.. Or Wabi-Sabi (侘寂), the beauty in imperfection and transience. And Shoshin (初心): Meaning: Having a beginner’s mind.
I would like to introduce you to another one: Kaitakusha (開拓者), which translates to “someone who cultivates the frontier.”
I learned about Kaitakusha from Kyoko Yonezawa, Head of Innovation at TBWA\HAKUHODO in Tokyo. Kyoko runs the Innovation Hub at TBWA\HAKUHODO where she and her team explore the latest developments in tech to find new ways of pushing the boundaries of marketing and advertising for their clients.
Kyoko is a Human Computer Interaction specialist so she is an expert on the interaction between humans and machines.
I asked her how she looked at the concept of “Human Innovation Interaction”, a concept I just made up for our discussion and by which I meant the understanding of how to best get people to develop and adopt new ideas.
She laughed and said: “In general, people are supportive of things they are already used to, things that they already know. Change is very difficult for most people.”
But she then went on to emphasise the importance of having people who try new things: “Without people who cultivate the frontier we would stagnate. We would go extinct.”
I asked Kyoko what the mindset of a Kaitakusha is and she gave me the most poetic reply:
“You know the saying
‘If you want to go fast go alone
If you want to go far go together’
But do you know how it ends?
‘If you want to go fast go alone
If you want to go far go together
If you want to go above, convince others to fly fast with you.”
This is the essence of a Kaitakusha. It is not just pushing the envelope. No, a Kaitakusha is going to the edge of the known to plant and harvest new thoughts and ideas that she can bring back to the rest of her group. Thoughts and ideas that will bring the others along towards the new.
Kaitakushas bring people closer to the future. They settle in the new.
In English we have the word “pioneer”, but it doesn’t quite capture this spirit. Especially if you keep in mind that the origin of the word pioneer is the French “pionnier” meaning “foot-soldier” or “pawn”. Pioneers were the soldiers that were first sent towards the front. They were cannon fodder.
The Japanese word Kaitakusha, with its meaning of “someone who cultivates the future”, is not only more poetic and beautiful, it is also pointing at value creation of the persons who are Kaitakushas as they bring back the “harvest” from the future.
They do not just “explore” the new land. They cultivate it.
Kyoko gave three short and concise rules to follow if you want to be an effective Kaitakusha:
1) Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid of new ideas, new technology or new innovations. But most importantly, do not be afraid of the people who bring you these new ideas.
Remember: Approach the new.
2) Find the benefit
Do not just explore the new, actively try to find the value that it will bring. Search for what makes this better. For how it will improve our lives.
Remember: Harvest the new.
And then finally,
3) Share the harvest
A Kaitakusha is not just invested in finding the new, she is also trying to get others onboard.
Remember: Share the new.
Elon Musk, despite his polarizing nature, is perhaps the best current example of a Kaitakusha, not only is he passionately curious about the latest technologies and innovations. He is also very focused on finding ways of taking them to market and making them accessible for the masses. And finally he is spending a lot of time promoting his visions and dreams for the future to get others on board.
Do not just settle to be an innovator, a trailblazer, a pioneer or (the very boring title of) ‘early adopter’.
Instead, be a Kaitakusha.
Be a person who cultivates the frontiers of humanity.
Would love to know your thoughts. Do post a comment on LinkedIn.
The post Kai-taku-sha – One who cultivates the frontier (Episode 247) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
February 25, 2025
The Creativity Suite. Episode 149: Kai-taku-sha – One who cultivates the frontier
Interview with Kaitakusha from Kyoko Yonezawa, Head of Innovation at TBWA\HAKUHODO
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The Japanese have given us some wonderful concepts related to creativity. Like Kaizen (改善), the art of continuous improvement.. Or Wabi-Sabi (侘寂), the beauty in imperfection and transience. And Shoshin (初心): Meaning: Having a beginner’s mind.
I would like to introduce you to another one: Kaitakusha (開拓者), which translates to “someone who cultivates the frontier.”
I learned about Kaitakusha from Kyoko Yonezawa, Head of Innovation at TBWA\HAKUHODO in Tokyo. Kyoko runs the Innovation Hub at TBWA\HAKUHODO where she and her team explore the latest developments in tech to find new ways of pushing the boundaries of marketing and advertising for their clients.
Kyoko is a Human Computer Interaction specialist so she is an expert on the interaction between humans and machines.
I asked her how she looked at the concept of “Human Innovation Interaction”, a concept I just made up for our discussion and by which I meant the understanding of how to best get people to develop and adopt new ideas.
She laughed and said: “In general, people are supportive of things they are already used to, things that they already know. Change is very difficult for most people.”
But she then went on to emphasise the importance of having people who try new things: “Without people who cultivate the frontier we would stagnate. We would go extinct.”
I asked Kyoko what the mindset of a Kaitakusha is and she gave me the most poetic reply:
“You know the saying
‘If you want to go fast go alone
If you want to go far go together’
But do you know how it ends?
‘If you want to go fast go alone
If you want to go far go together
If you want to go above, convince others to fly fast with you.”
This is the essence of a Kaitakusha. It is not just pushing the envelope. No, a Kaitakusha is going to the edge of the known to plant and harvest new thoughts and ideas that she can bring back to the rest of her group. Thoughts and ideas that will bring the others along towards the new.
Kaitakushas bring people closer to the future. They settle in the new.
In English we have the word “pioneer”, but it doesn’t quite capture this spirit. Especially if you keep in mind that the origin of the word pioneer is the French “pionnier” meaning “foot-soldier” or “pawn”. Pioneers were the soldiers that were first sent towards the front. They were cannon fodder.
The Japanese word Kaitakusha, with its meaning of “someone who cultivates the future”, is not only more poetic and beautiful, it is also pointing at value creation of the persons who are Kaitakushas as they bring back the “harvest” from the future.
They do not just “explore” the new land. They cultivate it.
Kyoko gave three short and concise rules to follow if you want to be an effective Kaitakusha:
1) Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid of new ideas, new technology or new innovations. But most importantly, do not be afraid of the people who bring you these new ideas.
Remember: Approach the new.
2) Find the benefit
Do not just explore the new, actively try to find the value that it will bring. Search for what makes this better. For how it will improve our lives.
Remember: Harvest the new.
And then finally,
3) Share the harvest
A Kaitakusha is not just invested in finding the new, she is also trying to get others onboard.
Remember: Share the new.
Elon Musk, despite his polarizing nature, is perhaps the best current example of a Kaitakusha, not only is he passionately curious about the latest technologies and innovations. He is also very focused on finding ways of taking them to market and making them accessible for the masses. And finally he is spending a lot of time promoting his visions and dreams for the future to get others on board.
Do not just settle to be an innovator, a trailblazer, a pioneer or (the very boring title of) ‘early adopter’.
Instead, be a Kaitakusha.
Be a person who cultivates the frontiers of humanity.
The post The Creativity Suite. Episode 149: Kai-taku-sha – One who cultivates the frontier first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
February 21, 2025
Embracing an Opening Mindset (Episode 246)
I am sharing with you about a conversation I had with Karen Ballenden, Client Service Director at LePub Amsterdam for The Creativity Suite project.
Karen believes that much of her progress stems from cultivating what she calls an ‘Opening Mindset’. She feels fortunate to have worked on iconic global brands, contributing in small ways to the communication that shapes their stories. In our conversation, she shared how this mindset has impacted not only her career but also her approach to life.
At its core, an Opening Mindset is more than just being open to new ideas; it’s a proactive way of engaging with the world. Karen explains that it’s about actively choosing to approach new experiences, ideas, or people with enthusiasm and curiosity. “Whenever I step into a situation, I tell myself to ‘love it for the first minute,’” she shared. Whether evaluating a new campaign, meeting a person for the first time, or trying something unfamiliar, Karen’s method helps her remain present, opening up endless possibilities.
This philosophy has real-world applications. For example, during a recent project, her team pitched several ideas, but the client chose the one Karen was least excited about. Instead of feeling disheartened, she embraced the choice, saying, “This is the best idea because the client picked it. Now, how can we make it great?” This shift in perspective allowed her and her team to produce the campaign with renewed creativity and energy.
What Sets an “Opening Mindset” Apart?
While an open mindset is about being receptive, Karen’s Opening Mindset takes it further. It encourages continuous growth and a deeper exploration of opportunities. Karen stresses the importance of setting aside judgments, suspending biases, and embracing even those ideas that seem unappealing at first glance. “When you embrace something, you open yourself up to discovering its potential,” she noted.
This mindset is particularly helpful in moments when our tendency is to focus on flaws or drawbacks. An Opening Mindset shifts focus toward the possibilities, encouraging us to look beyond initial impressions and find value even in the unexpected.
Practical Strategies for Cultivating an Opening Mindset
Karen suggests a few key strategies to adopt an Opening Mindset:
Ensure Mental Presence: Start meetings or conversations only when everyone is fully present and engaged. Karen advises against rushing into discussions before participants are mentally prepared. “If they’re not with you, don’t go,” she suggests.
Prepare and Stay Grounded: While being present is essential, preparation is equally important. Being well-prepared gives you control over the situation, ensuring you can handle whatever unfolds with confidence.
Transition Thoughtfully: Karen recommends initially loving an idea with your emotional brain before analyzing it with your rational mind. “After you’ve given it a chance and found its potential, then evaluate it against your criteria,” she explains.
Inspiration from Unexpected Places
Karen’s approach to an Opening Mindset mirrors advice from Swedish Princess Victoria, who once shared that her mother, Queen Silvia, told her, “Every person has an interesting story, and your job is to find it.” This wisdom parallels the essence of Karen’s mindset-before dismissing anything or anyone, give it time to reveal its value.
By embracing an Opening Mindset, you can transform your perspective on everyday situations. It’s not just about being open but actively engaging with and exploring new opportunities. As Karen’s story shows, falling in love with an idea, even just for the first minute, can lead to breakthroughs both in your career and in life. Try it, and see what new possibilities it can unlock for you.
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The post Embracing an Opening Mindset (Episode 246) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
The Creativity Suite. Episode 148: Embracing an Opening Mindset
Interview with Karen Ballenden, Client Service Director at LePub Amsterdam
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Karen Ballenden, Client Service Director at LePub Amsterdam, believes that much of her progress stems from cultivating what she calls an ‘Opening Mindset’. She feels fortunate to have worked on iconic global brands, contributing in small ways to the communication that shapes their stories. In our conversation, she shared how this mindset has impacted not only her career but also her approach to life.
At its core, an Opening Mindset is more than just being open to new ideas; it’s a proactive way of engaging with the world. Karen explains that it’s about actively choosing to approach new experiences, ideas, or people with enthusiasm and curiosity. “Whenever I step into a situation, I tell myself to ‘love it for the first minute,’” she shared. Whether evaluating a new campaign, meeting a person for the first time, or trying something unfamiliar, Karen’s method helps her remain present, opening up endless possibilities.
This philosophy has real-world applications. For example, during a recent project, her team pitched several ideas, but the client chose the one Karen was least excited about. Instead of feeling disheartened, she embraced the choice, saying, “This is the best idea because the client picked it. Now, how can we make it great?” This shift in perspective allowed her and her team to produce the campaign with renewed creativity and energy.
What Sets an “Opening Mindset” Apart?
While an open mindset is about being receptive, Karen’s Opening Mindset takes it further. It encourages continuous growth and a deeper exploration of opportunities. Karen stresses the importance of setting aside judgments, suspending biases, and embracing even those ideas that seem unappealing at first glance. “When you embrace something, you open yourself up to discovering its potential,” she noted.
This mindset is particularly helpful in moments when our tendency is to focus on flaws or drawbacks. An Opening Mindset shifts focus toward the possibilities, encouraging us to look beyond initial impressions and find value even in the unexpected.
Practical Strategies for Cultivating an Opening Mindset
Karen suggests a few key strategies to adopt an Opening Mindset:
Ensure Mental Presence: Start meetings or conversations only when everyone is fully present and engaged. Karen advises against rushing into discussions before participants are mentally prepared. “If they’re not with you, don’t go,” she suggests.
Prepare and Stay Grounded: While being present is essential, preparation is equally important. Being well-prepared gives you control over the situation, ensuring you can handle whatever unfolds with confidence.
Transition Thoughtfully: Karen recommends initially loving an idea with your emotional brain before analyzing it with your rational mind. “After you’ve given it a chance and found its potential, then evaluate it against your criteria,” she explains.
Inspiration from Unexpected Places
Karen’s approach to an Opening Mindset mirrors advice from Swedish Princess Victoria, who once shared that her mother, Queen Silvia, told her, “Every person has an interesting story, and your job is to find it.” This wisdom parallels the essence of Karen’s mindset-before dismissing anything or anyone, give it time to reveal its value.
By embracing an Opening Mindset, you can transform your perspective on everyday situations. It’s not just about being open but actively engaging with and exploring new opportunities. As Karen’s story shows, falling in love with an idea, even just for the first minute, can lead to breakthroughs both in your career and in life. Try it, and see what new possibilities it can unlock for you.
The post The Creativity Suite. Episode 148: Embracing an Opening Mindset first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
