Podcast appearances and mentions of Dave Gray

Dan and Dave Gray are the father-son co-founders of BridgeCamp. On this episode we talk about the power of human and relational connection, particularly between parents and their kids. The  stronger the connection is between parents and their teens, the more likely the teen will make better and healthier life decisions, especially as they transition into adulthood. Dan and Dave help create oppotunities for connection with BridgeCamp - a unique experience that brings parents and teens together.  Want to go to summercamp and come home with a happier, healthier family life?  Learn how by listening now!    

What if your beliefs—about work, people, or even yourself—are quietly holding you back? In this episode of The Mob Mentality Show, we sit down with visual thinker, author, and accidental Mob Programming anthropologist Dave Gray to unpack the power of belief, clarity, and collaboration in tech and beyond. Dave Gray is known for Liminal Thinking—a book about understanding the invisible beliefs that shape behavior and systems. But did he know he was writing a book about us? Turns out, our Mob Programming origin story and Dave's journey are more connected than you'd expect. With roots as an artist, Dave brings a rare perspective to complex tech and business systems. From prior infographic posters that demystified RFID and Bluetooth when they first came out, to visual guides on inner transformation and his latest books, Dave's work simplifies the complicated and builds bridges for real understanding. With Dave we explore: What led Dave from agile software development to Liminal Thinking Why most Agile transformations fail  How to navigate confusing resistance—are people really lost, or just saying “no”? The principles behind creating safe spaces and disrupting unhelpful routines Visual and liminal thinking for fostering organic authentic change, not just communication tricks Raw observation vs. narrative: how perception can distort reality Why having lunch with someone you think is "crazy" or "stupid" might be the wisest move The psychology behind tech resistance, organizational inertia, and true agility We also revisit how Woody Zuill and our original Mob Programming team with Chris Lucian smashed the belief that “real work” only happens in cubicles and outside of "meetings." The mob origin story had Liminal Thinking on full display as that team reflected, questioned, and ultimately acted in defiance of broken norms. The result? A shift in how we define space, collaboration, and innovation as Dave captures in his book.  If you work in tech, lead change, facilitate teams, or just feel stuck inside outdated ways of working, this episode is for you. Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/fWF6kQBRdhg  

Pemikiran Liminal, yang dipopulerkan oleh Dave Gray, adalah seni dan praktik menantang serta membingkai ulang keyakinan-keyakinan mendasar untuk menciptakan perubahan yang diinginkan. Berakar pada pemahaman bahwa keyakinan kita adalah model realitas yang dapat diubah, bukan realitas itu sendiri , pendekatan ini mengajak individu dan organisasi untuk secara sadar mengeksplorasi "ambang batas" pemahaman mereka. Dengan demikian, Pemikiran Liminal menjadi alat kognitif yang krusial untuk menavigasi kompleksitas dan mendorong pertumbuhan di tengah dunia yang terus berubah.     Bagi para pemimpin, Pemikiran Liminal menawarkan kerangka kerja untuk transformasi pribadi dan organisasional, memungkinkan mereka memfasilitasi perubahan secara efektif, mendorong inovasi, dan membangun tim yang lebih adaptif. Ini melibatkan praktik-praktik seperti menciptakan ruang aman untuk eksplorasi, mempertanyakan asumsi yang sudah mapan, dan merangkul ambiguitas. Lebih lanjut, pemimpin berperan penting dalam menciptakan "Ruang Liminal"—lingkungan transisional di mana norma-norma ditangguhkan untuk mendorong refleksi kritis, kreativitas, dan kolaborasi yang mendalam.   Dengan merangkul Pemikiran Liminal dan secara sengaja membina Ruang Liminal, organisasi dapat mengembangkan "otot" kolektif untuk perubahan dan inovasi yang berkelanjutan. Meskipun ada tantangan seperti resistensi terhadap perubahan dan ketidaknyamanan kognitif , manfaat jangka panjangnya—termasuk peningkatan kemampuan beradaptasi, resolusi konflik yang lebih baik, dan budaya yang lebih kuat—menjadikannya investasi strategis untuk masa depan organisasi yang tangguh dan siap menghadapi dinamika pasar yang terus berkembang.  

Markham interviews energy economist Dave Gray.

#48: In this episode, we're joined by Dave Gray, Anchor Loans' VP of Business Development. Dave is a seasoned expert in real estate lending and strategy. We'll uncover what makes Anchor stand out, the latest trends shaping real estate, and the keys to building strong client relationships. You will learn why ground-up construction is such a big opportunity and how you can take advantage of this today! Tune in for insights from 18 years of experience, lessons learned, and a look at the future of real estate investing.You can find all of our show notes, resources, replays here:https://www.americanlendingconference.com/podcastMeet Dave and hundreds of industry professionals in private lending at the American Lending Conference, March 21-22 in Las Vegas! www.americanlendingconference.com

Dalia El-Shimy, Director of UX Research at Wise, presents a framework for navigating product decision-making with confidence—from daily product decisions to the most complex and high-risk scenarios. Dalia shares how to classify decisions based on their level of risk and reversibility, along with questions and tactics to help determine the type of research or insights needed to better inform those decisions.About Dalia:Dalia is an engineer-turned-academic-turned-user-researcher. She is the Director of UX Research at Wise and the former Head of UX Research at Miro, where she helped build the team and discipline from the ground up. She started her career as a human-computer interaction researcher, then joined Shopify, where she helped scale the UX Research practice from a few researchers to a team of 60+ strong and co-led the craft across the entire organization. When she's not busy asking too many questions, she enjoys baking, eating, reading, and obsessing over all things David Bowie.Connect with Dalia:You can follow Dalia on LinkedIn or check out her website.Resources: Make Better Decisions by Thomas H. DavenportThis Is How Successful People Make Such Smart Decisions by Jeff HadenBrand Chu on MediumGamestorming by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, and James Macanufo Follow Maze on Social Media:X: @mazedesignHQInstagram: @mazedesignHQLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mazedesignTo get notified when new episodes air, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.See you next time!

How can you create the life of your dreams, where your work not only pays the bills, but brings you daily joy, creative fulfilment and purpose?Possibilitarian, artist and author Dave Gray joins me in this episode to introduce us to the art of the possible. He generously shares his life's lessons in business and creativity; from building his $10 million agency, to becoming an accidental author of 3 books, and his creative community brainchild, the School of the Possible.A rich, expansive conversation, filled with inspiration, with lots to savour and apply in your own business!Find out about:What becomes possible when you take away the label of facilitationThe pitfalls of not having an external meeting facilitatorThe structures and rules needed to fulfill meeting rolesHow to apply standardised practices while still allowing room for emergenceWhy empathy maps can act as your north starThe constraints you should put in place for starting a businessDon't miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Dave Gray:LinkedInWebsiteSupport the show**Click here to navigate through all episodes via this interactive podcast map.**Are you inspired by our podcast guests and crave a taste of masterfully facilitated workshops? Join the NeverDoneBefore Facilitation Festival. **If you enjoy the show, consider a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.

The Portree Broadcasting Corporation was a pilot for a series that was never commissioned by BBC Scotland - recorded on Skye and produced by myself in 2004, with the object of letting islanders who never meet one another explore their cultures and take o'er the airwaves for one glorious hour of mayhem. It features Gaelic speakers Prof Norman Macdonald and Cailean Maclean plus Shetlander Phil Goodlad and Orcadian Dave Gray. I made myself the cynical newshound sent north from Glasgow to lick the islanders into shape after the Gaels who took over BBC Scotland decided to shift the newsroom to Skye - hence the name, the Portree Broadcasting Corporation. It's a wee bit of history - 20 years ago there were still tolls on the Skye Bridge and the great Dave Gray was wise-cracking as only he knew how. Dave (just retired as Station Manager at Radio Orkney) died suddenly in February 2024. The historian and BBC Skye reporter Prof Norman Macleod died a year earlier in 2023.Happily Phil, Cailean and myself are still going strong. This piece of largely unscripted banter is a tribute to the humorous, un-biddable ways of islanders the world over. ★ Support this podcast ★

Dan Gray is an author, licensed psychotherapist, and lecturer. He co-founded the LifeStar Network, an internationally-known program designed to help individuals, couples, and families who have been impacted by a family member's unwanted compulsive or addictive behaviors. Dan mostly loves being a husband, dad and grandpa, while helping other men become stronger and more loving leaders and mentors in their homes. Dave Gray has an entrepreneurial spirit and has enjoyed careers in the real estate and mental health fields. He believes in the symbiotic connection between the relationships we have with those around us, and the choices we make in our lives. He passionately cherishes his relationships with others, especially his close family and friends and specifically with his kids. Dave couldn't be more excited to create powerful and unique opportunities for parents and their kids to make deep and meaningful connections with one another through Bridgecamp. Links Bridgecamp.com Transcript coming soon Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 4:30 Introduction to father and son Dan and Dave Gray 7:15 Dan mostly works with people struggling with pornography and other addictive behaviors. 9:24 Dan's therapy work and the genesis of Bridgecamp 13:45 Overview of Bridgecamp. A place for parents and their kids to connect. 16:01 Components of Bridgecamp: Adventuring, learning, and serving 18:45 The power of experiential activities 19:30 Dan shares how experiential activities with his dad created a strong relationship between them. These activities also gave his dad opportunities to teach him. 23:15 Experiential activities for the youth and church leaders. These activities help leaders connect with the youth and give opportunities for the kids to grow in different areas. 24:50 Bridgecamp is a one-on-one experience for kids 12 to 17. Now that the Church isn't associated with Boy Scouts it's a great opportunity to get out and camp and be mentored. 28:00 The best way to describe Bridgecamp is that it's a relationship-, trust-, and connection-building program. It's not a therapy program but it is a therapeutic environment. 29:00 Bridgecamp can be an alternative to therapy for a struggling teen. An opportunity for parents to break down their teen's walls and connect with them. 32:00 How can we be more intentional when it comes to girls camp, high adventure, or doing parent and child activities? 35:00 When you are self aware you are also aware of what's going on in your relationships and building them. 39:20 Addressing parental issues at Bridgecamp 42:35 Discussion and learning components at Bridgecamp 45:30 The mentoring aspect of the camp is important also. The staff are there to mentor, and give examples of healthy interactions. 46:00 We were created to connect. In Genesis it says that it's not good for man to be alone. We all long for bonding and the love and connection with others. The camp plants the seeds to create a better relationship that you can continue to develop when you go back home. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, Kirby Heyborne, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences,

Ordinary People. Extraordinary Conversations. If "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" and "The Parable of the Good Samaritan" collided at an intersection, then the Neighborly Love podcast would be the result. It features casual conversations over coffee in a "virtual coffee shop" that lean into the power of empathy. It's about feeling heard, valued, and understood.ContinueContinue reading "Neighborly Love Podcast, Episode 45 – Coach Dave Gray"

A discussion with Dave Gray about our experiences creating communities that foster human connection, imagination, and possibility. We share our own approaches to building new kinds of ways of organizing human potential where people can explore ideas and practice creatively. "What if school was a place where we could test our theories by creating prototypes, proposals, and provocations; where experiments were encouraged, where people could play, practice, and prepare for life and work?" https://schoolofthepossible.com See all of my podcasts over on https://nearfuturelaboratory.com/ Also, please support the podcast over on patreon.com/nearfuturelaboratory. Becoming a patron gets you access to the Near Future Laboratory Discord, and discounts on SuperSeminar. Please also rate the podcast and write a review! Thank you! Julian

On the 69th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Dave Gray. Dave is the author of Gamestorming, Liminal Thinking: Create the Change You Want by Changing the Way You Think, and The Connected Company. He is also an artist, an entrepreneur, and a possibilitarian. After selling his company, XPlane, in 2022, Dave established The School of the Possible, an experimental learning community through which he helps people create work that is meaningful and matters to them.In this episode, Dave shares with us his journey of finding purpose and meaning in his life, from the sense of belonging he felt at art school, to identifying and honouring his true nature, and noticing moments in life where he felt he was in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. He emphasises the importance of relationships and community in identifying our own uniqueness and the energy he experiences when in creative communities. Dave also underscores the significance of possibility and supporting others with their creativity.This episode will give you much to consider regarding finding more purpose, meaning, and cultivating greater awareness around your own true nature. While Dave's breadth of experience, creativity, and curiosity, are wonderful examples of what is possible when we fully engage with our true nature.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for clips and shorts.For further content and information check out the following:- Dave's website: https://xplaner.com/- Dave's Newsletter: https://schoolofthepossible.substack.com/- For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life to book a free consultation (30 minutes) for one-on-one coaching programs, executive team coaching programs to build trust and connection amongst executive teams or silent retreats for executive teams.Running Order:02:25 Podcast begins03:55 Finding meaning in life07:15 Identifying and honouring our true nature13:09 The significance of creativity 17:56 Exploring meaning in the journey20:49 Purpose and our true nature23:55 Possibility, producing and possibility27:15 Community and energy32:00 Using our relationships to identify our uniqueness34:55 The significance of relationships40:25 Beauty in everything44:25 The role of meaning52:25 What is a good life for Dave?

Welcome to another episode of the Human Centred Design Podcast, this time with someone I hold in the highest regards for their contribution to the world of design. It's Dave Gray, co-author of Gamestorming, and author of The Connected Company, and one of my favourite all-time books, not just design books, Liminal Thinking. Now this episode was really open and free-flowing, mainly because I think it was recorded quite late in the night for me, so we discussed lots of topics. Different topics, but mainly going to cover off some of the main points here. We talk about the power of drawing and visualisation, the influence of belief systems on reality, and the importance of finding common ground with those that we're working with. Dave shares his insights on facilitating workshops and encouraging active participation, something many of us are really struggling with. As well as nurturing creativity and challenging beliefs. This conversation really highlights the need for trust and open-mindedness. How do we get that in order to drive meaningful change? Dave also discusses his experience and how he got his first break, really creating infographics for newspapers, and then teaching others to draw to create that alignment. Now he shares the story of starting his company, XPLANE, and the power of information visualisation. We really stress the importance of creativity and design, and the challenges of that the notion that only some people are creative, something that I face many times when I'm training. Now he introduces the concept of being a possibilitarian and encourages testing assumptions and pushing boundaries. Dave also discusses his new endeavour, School of the Possible, a community that you might be interested in as it explores creative projects and cultivates positive possibilities. It's an incredible episode, Dave's incredible. Go grab a coffee, a slice of your favourite cake, or maybe a few biscuits. Sit back and enjoy. linkedin.com/in/davegray Campfire call – SCHOOL OF THE POSSIBLE Visual Thinking – Hi there! (xplaner.com) Become a member: https://www.thisishcd.com/landing/circle-a-community-for-ethically-conscious-designers-changemakers Book a Coaching Chemistry Call: https://calendly.com/gerryscullion/coaching-chemistry-call

Dave Gray describes himself as a possibilitarian. He focuses on helping people and teams realize their creative potential. Dave the author of several influential books, including Liminal Thinking and Gamestorming, which he co-authored with Sunni Brown and James Macanudo. He also founded the pioneering visual thinking company XPLANE. In this conversation, we discuss how to move beyond mental models that constrain us to open up new possibilities.Show notesDave GrayDave Gray - LinkedInThe Connected Company by Dave Gray and Thomas Vander WalGamestorming by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, and James MacanufoLiminal Thinking by Dave GrayRed Herring (magazine) - WikipediaXPLANATIONSXPLANEGreg Petroff - LinkedInDouglas Engelbart - WikipediaAndy MatuschakSchool of the PossibleSchool of the Possible Campfire CallsShow notes include Amazon affiliate links. We get a small commission for purchases made through these links.If you're enjoying the show, please rate or review us in Apple's podcast directory:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-informed-life/id1450117117?itsct=podcast_box&itscg=30200This episode's transcript was produced by an AI. If you notice any errors, please get in touch.

Dave Gray covers some of the latest updates to NextJS, including Server Actions, changes to static content caching, and the transition from dynamic to static content generation. They talk about the changing landscape of front-end development and popular frameworks like Vue, Angular, and Astro. Dave shares valuable insights on mastering new technologies by building simple CRUD applications, and setting clear goals for side projects. Lastly, he provides advice on starting and growing a successful YouTube channel, emphasizing the importance of consistency and engagement with the algorithm. Sponsored by This Dot Watch this episode on our YouTube channel Read more on our blog

Woah back there Cowboy! Put down the keyboard and listen to this before you prepare your 'talking points' for your next media, podcast or panel interview. (While we're on that - don't even think about preparing talking points - but we digress, that's next episode). In this episode, Penny takes you on a stroll along Manely Beach in Sydney as she unpacks the three things you can do that will help you prepare the sorts of notes that will help you be the best guest, no matter the show you 'visit'. ----- Show notes: Hey, It's Penny here (more about me below) - if you have a question that you want answered on the pod, record it and then send a short voice memo to my email so I can use it on the Penny Drop (with your permission). You can email me at penny@pennyterry.com  If you'd like to chat with me about working together, firstly, awesome, and secondly you can book a short chat here: https://calendly.com/thepennydrop/30min Want more? No wonder! Head over to www.pennyterry.com to find out about my programs, keynotes, and other podcasts or sign up for the newsletter version of the Penny Drop (yep, this is 'the notes'). It's where you'll learn more about the things running in and out of my brain as well as be first to know about any new or discounted programs: https://thepennydrop.substack.com/ From this episode: Download my adaption of Dave Gray's empathy map: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/64d426d6701e8e068927022b/t/6602535e5d212226d15288be/1711428446917/My+Empathy+Map_2024.pdf More about me: I love both sides of a conversation - equally. I know powerful questions leverage powerful stories. As such, I'm all about helping people and organisations to ask better questions, share better stories, and create better systems to make it easy (and interesting) for people to engage with who you are, what you do and why it matters. I spent more than a decade as an ABC radio presenter, I host and produce multiple-award-winning podcasts, and deliver keynotes, workshops and executive coaching services across the globe. I'm also the co-founder of for-purpose company Healthy Tasmania which I started with my awesome sister Lucy Byrne. Together we provide a range of services to help solve common problems that prevent people, communities and organisations from thriving.I've always wanted to be a rockstar and now sing to my kids (and colleagues) whenever I get the chance. I'd love to sit down with you and find the right way to use better questions, better stories and better systems to solve your engagement problems.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"we always understand anything new in terms of what we already know.." Dave and I discuss the art of possibility and how we can change our thoughts and perceptions to allow ourselves to enter the gateways of what's possible. Ever wondered why visualising things is so powerful ? Ever challenged your beliefs about whether you can draw or not ? We discuss all this and more as Dave leads us through his philosophy of art and how it can contribute to helping us navigate this complex world we live and work in. We delve into RFID codes, generative AI, and their potentially transformative effects on education and employment, as well as how we can step out of our patterns to think differently - to shake up our habitual routines, embrace change, and take proactive steps toward growth and innovation. After all, the jobs of tomorrow may not even exist today, so staying ahead means staying adaptable, open minded and curious. So whether you're a seasoned artist or someone who's never thought of picking up a pencil for fun, consider this your personal invitation to explore the visual language within you and step away from autopilot and connect to the present moment. Who knows? It might just change the way you see the world—and the way the world sees you ! Dave shares his insights, teachings, experience and visuals from writing and working with artists, leaders and organisations across the globe . The main insights you'll get from this episode are : - Humans are mostly on autopilot, which serves us when things are going well, but distracts us from the present moment and possibilities can only be seen in the present moment.- Digital overloads and distracts us but ‘possibilitarians' are acutely tuned in to the present moment and the opportunities that might arise; we cannot know what will happen and it is our limiting beliefs that hold us back.- The School of the Possible is about a less structured approach, fostering and teaching creativity, i.e. imagining something and making it a reality. This cannot be taught in the conventional way in that there is no end goal per se, just a question and a direction.- Such a school of exploration engenders a community of people focused on what is possible in their worlds and supporting each other as entrepreneurs - an exciting, scary and uncomfortable reality that holds the promise of adventure and learning.- Organisations too must take risks to avoid becoming obsolete, as many people are now looking at alternatives to working in organisations - we must all find a way to make a living but nowadays we can create our own customers on our own terms.- An unusual approach to teaching creativity in the form of visual(isation) aspects, e.g. using game-storming, as a way to bring people together, help them align on a problem, and draw a complex issue to make it clearer.- This low-equipment approach is transformative, facilitating a real connection between body and mind – this allows a group to build something, change their interactions and actually see what is in other people's heads.- The resulting visible, shareable work results in innovation, makes abstract things more tangible and takes the information landscape from fuzzy to focused - images are a universal language and explore things for which there are no words (yet).- Drawing is a conversation between what's in your head and what's on the piece of paper so it can be surprising – as a process it is intuitive as opposed to cognitive as our brains are pattern-finding...

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas interview Dave Gray, Chief Possibilitarian at School of the Possible. They delve into being a "possibilitarian," exploring how this mindset fosters innovation and openness to new ideas. Dave shares the  School of the Possible founding story, an experimental learning community that challenges conventional education models. The discussion covers how critical thinking and creativity are encouraged and the practical application of knowledge to solve real-world problems. Listeners will discover how embracing possibility can transform learning and personal growth. "Art school is very different than a lot of other types of education. It's focused on making and creating and doing things with your hands and making things happen in the real world. So, in one sense, there was a whole approach to learning that I picked up in art school. And also, when you graduate from art school, it's not like there's a lot of people waiting with jobs for you. You have to apply those creative thinking skills to designing your life, thinking about What is it that you want to create in the world? How are you going to make your way in the world? And it's really interesting to watch all of my peers and colleagues, all trained in creativity, all figuring it out in different ways. It all stems from this idea of "what are you going to create and what are you going to make?" In a lot of types of education, you can just solve the problem in a way that everyone before you solved the problem.  When you're in an art school, you're not allowed to solve problems in the way they've been solved before. You're required to think about a different way or a new way."  Mentioned in this episode: Links to relevant materials mentioned during the episode   About our guest(s):  Chief Possibilitarian at School of the Possible Author, and LinkedIn:   Call-to-Action(s): If you liked this episode, check out: and Subscribe to the Cohere Podcast For more reflections about the intersection of community and design, subscribe to the Cohere Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Leave a review of the Cohere Podcast  

On today's episode, Andrew Maier joins me for a discussion of usability testing and models.  We define usability testing and by using examples, we explore how it can make you a more efficient and effective developer.The Design of Everyday Things by Don NormanStuck?  Diagrams Help by Abby CovertHow to Make Sense of Any Mess by Abby CovertGamestorming by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, and James MacanufoAbout Face by Alan Cooper, Et al.3 Lessons From Teaching A Course On UX Design by Andrew MaierFlagrantAndrew Maier on TwitterAndrew Maier on Mastodon

Fast-track your career with our 12-week training programme: https://www.thisishcd.com/coaching-mentoring-for-innovators-change-makers Welcome to another episode of This is HCD. Several months ago, I started speaking with today's guest, Mike Parker, owner and founder of Liminal Coaching in Wales in the UK. I'd heard Mike's name mentioned several times over the years online, especially after reading the brilliant book by Dave Gray called Liminal Thinking several years ago. Now that book for me was transformative. Both personally and professionally, and over the years, as I explored ways and means to extend my level of knowledge in this space, I started to read more and more about the benefits of liminality to changemakers. So what exactly is liminality? And more to the point, what is liminal thinking? If you haven't read that book, I really encourage you to pick it up. It's a brilliant book and a brilliant read. Now, liminal thinking is a concept, an approach to problem solving and understanding. The world that deals with the power of the thresholds of perception and belief. Now, the term liminal comes from the Latin word limen, meaning threshold. And in a broader sense, liminality refers to a state of transition, the in between phase of a process of change, where you are on the threshold between one state and another. Some of Mike's work is really fascinating and involves holding space for yourself just to drift. So for anyone who knows me personally, they'd be familiar with the constant drive or chaos that surrounds my own life and is in constant conflict with this idea of just holding space. But I truly love it and I love practicing it. I might not be good at it. But I know I want to get better at it, but that's probably a really nice way of framing it. So this episode is going to be of interest to me, or of interest to you if you're like me in that sense, always running close to empty and always striving for perfection and really ultimately being critically hard on yourself from time to time. So in this episode we tackle some of those pieces and go deeper into Mike's practices. Let's get stuck in. linkedin.com/in/mikekparker

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Episode 20 features Dave Gray who is Racing Manager at Pelaw Grange and he talks about his background in racing and the role itself. He also discusses his commentary amongst other things. Dani & Joe are also joined by Ryan Sexton aka 'Romford Ryan' (@Ryan_1991) to discuss the Champion Stakes starting tonight and pick out their best bets on the card. The link to the Telegram channel mentioned by Ryan can be found on his Twitter profile. Intro - 18sDave part 1 - 15m 51sBest Hound Around - 40m 08s (https://www.greyhoundhomer.org.uk/gus/)Dave part 2 - 41m 59sBetting - 1h 6m 15s Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

705BLACKFLY BEYOND HEADLINES - DAVE GRAY AND SARAH COOKE - AUG 5 2023 by Hunters Bay Radio

[Negócios] Resenha do livro “Liminal thinking: create the change you want by changing the way you think” (tradução livre: “Pensamento liminar: crie a mudança que você quer mudando a maneira como você pensa”), de Dave Gray.  O texto escrito está nesse link. Não sei você, mas quando comecei a ler esse livro não fazia a mais vaga ideia do que podia ser "pensamento liminar". Já vou adiantar aqui: tem a ver com limites, bordas, fronteiras. Com fazer parte e não fazer ao mesmo tempo. Com furar a bolha das nossas crenças. Vai lá que é interessante. Pelo menos, eu achei! No audio eu falo do livro Atitude Pro Liderança e do Deviate (clique nos links para saber mais). Falo também do Flow, já resenhado aqui. Lembrando que você pode ouvir todos os episódios, fazer comentários e comprar o livro nesse link: www.minhaestantecolorida.com

If you are interested in UX and Product Design, you will want to listen to this episode. He explains some of the concepts and practices for this field and he walks us through his journey into UX. Resources mentioned in this episode: Destination UX is now Target UX on LinkedIn https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/ Double Diamond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExFeZaMJ6yA Scrum Master https://www.scrumalliance.org/what-is-a-scrum-master Book - Visual Thinking: Empowering People and Organisations through Visual Collaboration Paperback – by Williemien Brand Book - Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers 1st Edition - by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, James Macanufo --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dina-beavers/message

Omdat het een beetje raar zou zijn als Maaike zichzelf zou interviewen, praatte ze in deze aflevering met Stijn. Een veertiger die al jaren gestopt is met drinken, en daar echt geen spijt van heeft. Stijn en Maaike wisselen ervaringen uit over leven zonder alcohol, Eva weerstaat aan de groepsdruk en blijft vrolijk over katers en aperitiefjes vertellen, en we gaan op zoek naar waarom overtuigingen cruciaal zijn in een veranderingsproces. Een aflevering over (veel meer dan) stoppen met alcohol waarin we de onzichtbare overtuigingen die we door onze cultuur en opvoeders ingelepeld kregen op de rooster leggen. Haal hier je freebie om hier verder mee aan de slag te gaan! Bronnen: - ‘This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness and Change Your Life van Annie Grace - Quit like a woman van Holly Whitaker - ‘De kracht van liminaal denken'van Dave Gray

Here we go with a 401(k) Friday's Podcast first, three guests and a great topic. Today we dive into the recent announcement that three major recordkeepers are launching the Portability Services Network. Joining me to discuss what this means is Dave Gray from Fidelity, Greg Long from Alight and Steve Holman from Vanguard. We tackle what is an automatic rollover, the problems it solves for employees and employers, how it works and whether the DOL and others think this is a good idea. This could have been a disaster having three guests, each with a lot to say, but it turned out well. I hope you enjoy!   Guest Bios Dave Gray is a member of the Workplace Investing Executive Management Team and serves as the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms, Workplace Investing for Fidelity. Dave leads Fidelity's defined contribution and multi-product platform and product development teams across sites in the US, India, and Ireland. The teams are responsible for developing and managing market-leading solutions and customer experiences and the continuous modernization of the Workplace Retirement platforms, leveraging cloud technologies. Dave also has principal responsibility for next generation defined contribution plan innovation, notably digital assets and the blockchain. In addition, Dave was appointed to the Department of Labor's ERISA Advisory Council.  Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at Charles Schwab where he served as a member of Schwab's Retirement Plan Services executive leadership team responsible for client experience, product management, and business strategy. Previously, Dave served as a Vice President at Standard Insurance Retirement Services where he built and led the client relationship management organization, and earlier as a member of Invesmart's executive team responsible for general management of the retirement plan business.  Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts from Tennessee Temple University. He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 66 licenses.    401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview Struggling with a fiduciary issue, looking for strategies to improve employee retirement outcomes or curious about the impact of current events on your retirement plan? We've had conversations with retirement industry leaders to address these and other relevant topics! You can easily explore over 225 prior on-demand audio interviews here. Don't forget to subscribe as we release a new episode every other Friday!

Dave Gray uses visual tools and techniques known as "drawing" in order to unlock the potential of imagining possible worlds. He founded XPLANE in 1993 as a platform to his life-long commitment to the ineluctable fact that analytic thinking on its own cannot solve the challenges most organizations and societies face. Visual imagining and images are the counterpoint to balance an over-reliance on analytics, and allows us to sense into possibilities in a uniquely powerful way. http://www.xplaner.com/bio/ http://www.xplaner.com/

Are you thinking about offering cryptocurrency in your retirement plan? Continuing our two-part series, co-hosts Beth Garner and Joanne Szupka is joined by Dave Gray, who is on the Workplace Investing Executive Management Team and serves as the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms, Workplace Investing for Fidelity, along with Sterling Ingui, who is a Product Area Leader for Next Gen Retirement in Workplace Investing and NC Regional Leader at Fidelity Investments. Get answers to the key questions plan sponsors might have when considering cryptocurrency as 401(k) investment options.Key Takeaways:[06:55] What factors influenced Fidelity's decision to include cryptocurrency in retirement plans? [08:42] What should plan fiduciaries consider when deciding whether to add cryptocurrency in their retirement plans? [11:05] How are cryptocurrency investment options structured?[14:25] How can these investments be valued?[16:08] Are there any limitations? If so, what are they?[17:27] What cybersecurity protocols are available to prevent data breaches and safeguard investments?[23:16] Are you seeing any trends since making the cryptocurrency option available? Listen to our prior episode Cryptocurrency – Understanding the Basics for part 1 of these two-part series on cryptocurrency, where Sterling Ingui reviews the basics of cryptocurrencies. Resources:BDO.comBeth on LinkedInJoanne on LinkedInwww.fidelity.com/crypto/overview

Are you thinking about offering cryptocurrency in your retirement plan? Learn the basics. Co-hosts Beth Garner and Joanne Szupka sit down with Sterling Ingui, who is a Product Area Leader for Next Gen Retirement in Workplace Investing and NC Regional Leader at Fidelity Investments. They discuss the fundamentals of cryptocurrencies, including the definition and different types available, as well as the interesting history behind this digital currency. Key Takeaways[05.06] What is cryptocurrency>?[06:50] What does it mean to invest in cryptocurrency?[09:02] What are the different types of cryptocurrencies?[11:31] What is the history of cryptocurrency?Listen to our next episode for part 2 of these two-part series on cryptocurrency, where Sterling Ingui will return with Dave Gray, who is on the Workplace Investing Executive Management Team and serves as the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms, Workplace Investing for Fidelity. Resources:BDO.comBeth on LinkedInJoanne on LinkedInwww.fidelity.com/crypto/overview

In this week's episode of The Alcohol ReThink Podcast Patrick talks about the benefits of getting obsessed with your sobriety. Here are some of the awesome things he shares in this week's episode: - What you don't use you lose - Your brain is going to think, so why not think about what you want - Ways to support yourself on this journey Resources mentioned This Naked Mind by Annie Grace Liminal Thinking by Dave Gray 10% Happier by Dan Harris Alcohol Explained by William Porter Connect with Patrick: To find out how Patrick can help you stop drinking and create an awesome life without alcohol, book a free one hour consultation to discover how his 6 month 1-1 coaching program will take you from feeling out of control and self hating, to sober, clear-headed, full of energy, looking good and doing more of what you love in life. Whether you decide to work with him or not, the consult alone will help you understand where you are and why you do what you do. It's a no-brainer. Get yourself booked in here. You can also join The Alcohol ReThink Project, a free 30 day email mindset-reset series to support you in stopping drinking Website: https://www.patrickjfox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealcoholrethinkproject/ Facebook Group: Alcohol ReThink Project & Sober Men

This week, we tackle a timely topic straight out of the headlines, Bitcoin or Digital assets and 401(k) plans. Joining me is Dave Gray, the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms & Workplace Investing for Fidelity. We cover all the topics you would expect like why Bitcoin, why 401(k) plans, how can plan sponsors evaluate the whether Bitcoin makes sense for them and a fairly detailed breakdown of the recent DOL Compliance Assistance Release or CAR addressing Bitcoin in workplace retirement plans. We covered a ton of ground, I learned a lot, hoping you do as well. If we missed something, shoot me a note on LinkedIn and we can follow-up. Enjoy! Guest Bio Dave Gray is a member of the Workplace Investing Executive Management Team and serves as the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms, Workplace Investing for Fidelity. Dave leads Fidelity's defined contribution and multi-product platform and product development teams across sites in the US, India, and Ireland. The teams are responsible for developing and managing market-leading solutions and customer experiences and the continuous modernization of the Workplace Retirement platforms, leveraging cloud technologies. Dave also has principal responsibility for next generation defined contribution plan innovation, notably digital assets and the blockchain. In addition, Dave was appointed to the Department of Labor's ERISA Advisory Council.  Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at Charles Schwab where he served as a member of Schwab's Retirement Plan Services executive leadership team responsible for client experience, product management, and business strategy. Previously, Dave served as a Vice President at Standard Insurance Retirement Services where he built and led the client relationship management organization, and earlier as a member of Invesmart's executive team responsible for general management of the retirement plan business.  Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts from Tennessee Temple University. He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 66 licenses.    401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview Struggling with a fiduciary issue, looking for strategies to improve employee retirement outcomes or curious about the impact of current events on your retirement plan? We've had conversations with retirement industry leaders to address these and other relevant topics! You can easily explore over 225 prior on-demand audio interviews here. Don't forget to subscribe as we release a new episode each Friday!  

Welcome to Five & Thrive: a weekly podcast highlighting the Southeast's most interesting news, entrepreneurs, and information of the week, all under 5 minutes.    Hosted by Jon Birdsong, Partner at Atlanta Ventures.   Beta Product of the Week: This week Amanda Sabreah launched CopyFoundry on Product Hunt. Think of the Library of Congress for copywriting and brand positioning. Amanda has indexed every major company's copy and brand positioning so marketers can quickly learn, study, and then execute on those magical tools called words. What many smart entrepreneurs do is build community before baking out the product – this is a good example. Amanda knows this space very well and is an entrepreneur worth following on Twitter as she builds her next company.        Announcements of the Week: Dave Gray is an entrepreneur out of Birmingham (proving this is not just an Atlanta podcast), who is getting the band back together with Pamlico Capital to buy a business. Some of the characteristics include $10-$50M million in ARR, near the Rule of 40, and the CEO is looking to make a transition out of the business. Look up Dave Gray on LinkedIn.    Quiet Giant: Welcome Home Software - Software for Senior Living Homes operators is my favorite quiet giant of the week. I've been following them for years and they have phenomenal leadership and are growing fast and steady. John Larricia the CEO worked at Bain for over 2 decades before starting the company. Teddy Helfrich is leading sales and marketing and they are hiring in just about every department of the business – and I'm pretty sure they are unlisted.   Events to Put on the Calendar:  Paul Judge and Panoramic are hosting their monthly Startup Showdown on June 30th - this one is virtual. One winner walks away with $120k. Apps are due June 10th. Also, going to double down on the June 21st event at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. There is a link in the show notes to RSVP and more details from last week's pod.    Companies Worth Applying To: Josh Lieberman and the team at Visily.ai are looking for a Content Marketing Consultant to help with their content strategy and execution. The KMS Technology team have built several companies starting off with QASymphony which was a hit. From there, they started Kobiton, Grove HR, Katalon, and now Visily, which enables non-designers to create beautiful software app mockups. The KMS team are true builders.    The other company that has an ideal opening for the next up and coming Marketing Director is Copient Health. Mike Burke is a serial entrepreneur who successfully sold his last company, Clockwise MD, and is at it again with Copient Health which makes software to improve operating room efficiency.    Raise Your Glass: Bark, headquartered out of the Atlanta Tech Village, raised an impressive $30 million last week. Shout out to Brian and Titania. Bark keeps kids safer by providing parental control applications. Maija of Hypepotamus and Zach of Atlanta Inno wrote some quality pieces around the raise. Links are below!   Annnnd, that's 5 minutes.   Thank you for listening to Five and Thrive. We provide 5 minutes of quality information, so you can thrive in the upcoming week. Please subscribe to the show and spread the good word!    Resources discussed in this episode: ​​CopyFoundry Amanda Sabreah Dave Martin Gray Rule of 40 PamlicoCapital   Events: Startup Showdown ATL unlocked Block Party   Quiet Giant: Welcome Home Software   Hiring: Visily CopientHealth Marketing Director   News: Hypepotamus BizJournal How you can get involved:  Visit atlantaventures.com/ if you're interested in learning more about Atlanta Ventures.    Where you can find us: Website: www.atlantaventures.com/ Twitter: @atlantaventures Instagram: @atlventures Facebook: @AtlantaVentures LinkedIn: @Atlanta-Ventures YouTube: Here

Podcast Intro: What are your beliefs around health, healing, and disease? You might have experiences that you have individually experienced, and there are also universal energy experiences or unity consciousness experiences that are also part of your experience box. But you can't know everything on some level. In this world, there is a lot to learn. Do a bit of exploration. When you hear someone else tell you about their experience, it becomes part of your own. You can have direct perception experiences and experiences in different levels of consciousness that aren't always conscious states. What you'll get out of tuning in: What is your workshop on looking at beliefs? What are some ways to question our beliefs? What are your beliefs? What is obvious to you? What is the emotional resonance you have with this specific word over that word? What is the opportunity at the crossroads of your life right now?  Is inquiry practice a healing process in itself? Links/CTA: Liminal Thinking by Dave Gray Check out Yogahealer's latest events & workshops! Highlights: Cate shares one of her favorite images which is Dave Gray Cate tells a story when her daughter keeps asking questions that are so beyond her experience. Cate mentioned being aware of the visceral experience Timestamps: [0:59] The empathy map by Dave Gray [5:19] Beyond the threshold  [8:57] Experience the experience in your body [11:31] Inquiry practice [15:01] Emotional resonance with certain words [16:14] What're the crossroads right now? Quotes: “We have these strong theories, judgments, beliefs, and things that we think are super obvious. But it's resting on a small chunk of possible experience. What brings us beyond the threshold, beyond our condition thinking into liminal thinking is actually in part when we question our beliefs.”  “Your beliefs are what is obvious to you.” “It's okay to allow for contradictions. As you investigate your beliefs about the mind, return to what experiences have led you to those beliefs.” “It doesn't have to be obvious to anyone but you because you're just relying on your experience of what's obvious.”

Marc Bolick is the managing partner of the DesignThinkers Group. We're talking about innovation and culture, the future of work and designing value. Listen to learn about: DesignThinkers Group Using design thinking in innovation strategy and projects The future of work Innovative leadership International Development Change management and “corporate antibodies” Our Guest Marc leads DesignThinkers Group, an innovation support firm with consultants across North America and associates in 20 countries. He uses his technical, business and design skills to help organizations ask the right questions and find innovative solutions through human-centered problem solving methodologies. Marc has led projects for a range of multinational brands, non-profits, foundations, NGOs and public sector agencies both in the USA and abroad. He holds an MBA and Master of Business Informatics from Rotterdam School of Management and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University. Marc is an inspiring speaker, a probing strategist, a curious observer of human behavior, and a highly experienced group facilitator. Show Highlights [00:59] Marc gives a brief introduction to DesignThinkers Group. [02:00] His early career in mechanical engineering and working for GE. [02:34] Seeing design first-hand in a GE research lab. [03:47] Representing CT service engineers gave him the chance to interact with customers. [05:08] Shifting into product management. [05:45] Becoming an “accidental consultant.” [06:38] Discovering design thinking. [07:50] Incorporating design thinking into his innovation work. [08:10] Jeanne Liedtka's social technology concept. [11:32] Working with clients and showing what's possible with design thinking. [11:58] Learning design thinking isn't just about taking a class. You have to practice it. [12:38] Using design thinking to design the project. [13:07] Creating the guiding star for the project. [15:48] Working with company cultures. [17:41] One of Marc's favorite questions. [19:10] The future of work. [19:48] Echoes of the Industrial Revolution. [20:49] Marc offers thoughts on what makes a strong innovative leader. [22:53] Exploring the opportunities, offered by design thinking and human-centered design, for improving how we work. [23:53] Why Marc doesn't like the term “empathy building.” [24:30] Better connecting with customers leads to better serving them. [27:24] Pitfalls of personas. [28:27] Marc and Dawan talk about using Indi Young's mental models instead of personas in design work. [32:01] Working as a designer and innovator means you're always learning. [32:45] Books and resources Marc recommends. [34:41] Being with clients is Marc's biggest learning space. [35:04] Marc talks about a co-creation workshop DesignThinkers Group did in Cambodia and using design thinking to solve wicked problems. [39:15] Some other projects DesignThinkers Group has worked on. [41:47] Innovation requires putting something of value out into the world. [43:55] Innovation is all about change, and change management. [44:19] A project DesignThinkers Group did with a large corporation that wanted to tackle the issue of gender representation in top leadership roles. [46:21] Corporations and the status quo fight back against change. [47:47] The responsibility designers have to work on better inclusivity and representation in design.  Links Marc on Twitter Marc on LinkedIn DesignThinkers Group DesignThinkers Group on Twitter DesignThinkers Group on LinkedIn Design Talk What is Design Thinking? Delivering Innovative Solutions Through Service Design Thinking With Marc Bolick How Design Thinking Can Take Service to Another Level, interview with Marc Seth Godin Dave Gray Wednesday Web Jam Book Recommendations The Connected Company, by Dave Gray and Thomas Vander Wahl Gamestorming, by Dave Gray and Sunni Brown This is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See, by Seth Godin Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers, by Seth Godin This is Service Design Thinking: Basics, Tools, Cases, Marc Stickdorn, Jakob Schneider This Is Service Design Doing: Applying Service Design Thinking in the Real World, by Marc Stickdorn, Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, and Jakob Schneider Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs, by Larry Keeley, Helen Walters, Ryan Pikkel, and Brian Quinn Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Designing for the Greater Good, Strategy + Design Thinking, and Measuring Design Thinking with Jeanne Liedtka — DT101 E1 Problem Spaces, Understanding How People Think, and Practical Empathy with Indi Young — DT101 E6 Experiencing Design: The Innovator's Journey with Karen Hold — DT101 E71 Looking for a design job? Maybe you'd like mine!

Educator and visual note-taker extrodinair, Giulia Forsythe joined me to talk about how doodling helps her be a better listener, problem solver and communicator. She also explains why she shares her doodles openly and freely. Check out Giulia's amazing doodles on her web site https://gforsythe.ca/visual-notes/ and her Flickr account https://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/albumsFor more on visual note taking, see these resources that Giulia shared:Sketchnote Handbook is a great physical book to reference.Mike Rhodes has a few video webinars online so something like this might be just as good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZq5W8FY2AAlso wonderful is Dave Gray's Visual Thinking Basics page (http://www.xplaner.com/2012/12/07/visual-thinking-basics/)

Today's episode welcome's Jude Hackett to take us through the incredible free insight tool – The Empathy Map. Jude is a behaviour change and social marketing consultant with 18 years of experience in Marketing and Strategic Communications, with specialisms in marketing for social impact, behaviour change and brand. Jude is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM). Basically a total pro! The Empathy Map is a visualisation tool developed by Dave Gray in 2017 that we can use on our own, or with teams and stakeholders to capture our understanding of our users, patients, and residents. It helps build a shared understanding of our user needs plus aid decision making and shift messaging. Dave Gray is a leader in the field of creativity. His website Gamestorming is well worth a visit for the wealth of resources he shares. Dave is dedicated to teasing creativity out of everyone by sharing the tools and systems of design thinking. Book recommendation The Power of Ignorance: How creative solutions emerge when we admit what we don't know. Dave Trott, 2021 Guest Resources/useful links Get your empathy map by visiting the Gamestorming website here. Plus have a look around it's amazing! Contact Jude on LinkedIn or email Jude@Creatinggood.co.uk 3 AHA moments 1) How well do you understand your audience? Are you clear what you want people to do? Using the empathy map captures what you know but flags what you don't! 2) The ‘hot' and ‘cold' sexual health research published by Dan Ariely in Predictably Irrational is a great example of demonstrating how our understanding of are audiences can completely change when and how we communicate. 3) A clear behaviour change goal is essential. (or value proposition!) Use the map to find yours. Happy mapping and thank you Jude! If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and share with anyone you know wants to get started and is passionate about making a positive change. Kickstart your journey into behavioural science Want to know about how to use behavioural science in your comms & marketing? We love empathy mapping so much we have incorporated it into our Bootcamp training days on 6th & 8th July and into our Team Training days. Join us to kickstart your skills or book a call with me.

Rachel & Mike share their words for the year, and talk about why broad themes are more likely to create positive changes than specific goals.Intentional Family #15: The Power of Your WordsIntentional Family #21: 2021 Words for the YearFocused podcastTheme System JournalThe Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent PealeBookworm #136: Thinking in SystemsAtomic Habits by James ClearLiminal Thinking by Dave Gray

(NOTAS Y ENLACES COMPLETOS DEL CAPÍTULO AQUÍ: https://www.jaimerodriguezdesantiago.com/kaizen/107-creatividad-ii-pensamiento-liminal/) Una vieja parábola india cuenta que un grupo de ciegos escuchó hablar de un extraño animal, llamado elefante, que había sido traído a su pueblo por primera vez. Ninguno de ellos conocía su forma, ni su figura, así que pidieron ser llevados hasta él, para poder reconocerlo al tacto. Cuando llegaron, se pusieron alrededor del elefante y cada uno comenzó a describir lo que percibía con sus manos. El primero, palpando la trompa, dijo: “Este ser es como una serpiente gruesa”. Para otro, cuyas manos recorrían las orejas del animal, era como una especie de abanico. Un tercero, tocando su pata, dijo que el elefante era un pilar como el tronco de un árbol. Otro, que palpaba su costado, dijo que era más bien como una pared rugosa, mientras que el que palpaba su cola lo describió como una cuerda. El último de ellos, tocando su colmillo, dijo que el elefante era duro, liso y puntiagudo, como una lanza.Menos mal que esta fábula es india y no española que, si no, a saber cómo terminaba el cuento. Pero, bromas aparte, creo refleja una de esas verdades milenarias que en el fondo siempre hemos sabido y que, aún así, necesitamos que nos recuerden de vez en cuando. Cada uno de nosotros somos ciegos a nuestra manera. Vivimos y describimos el mundo basándonos en nuestra experiencia. Y tomamos decisiones basándonos en ella, pero completamente ajenos a que esa experiencia es sólo es una pequeña parte de la realidad. Construimos nuestros modelos de cómo es el elefante basándonos sólo en aquello que hemos podido palpar. A veces nos tiramos meses, o incluso años, pensando de una manera sobre un tema concreto. Siendo incapaces de resolver un problema, por ejemplo. Hasta que, de pronto, en el momento más inesperado, algo nos cambia la perspectiva y nos hace verlo desde un ángulo diferente. Y, de golpe, tenemos la solución. Vemos al elefante completo.Normalmente, esos momentos de descubrimiento, esos momentos Eureka, tienen que ver con que de alguna manera hemos expandido nuestros modelos. Los hemos extendido y redefinido. Y podemos esperar a que estos momentos sucedan por arte de magia o podemos intentar provocarlos aplicando ideas como la del pensamiento liminal, a la que vamos a dedicar el capítulo de hoy.

“The body achieves what the mind believes.” John Cheers/Dave Gray In the episode of The Real ResQ, we get to hear about an incredible career from USCG Rescue Swimmer 288, Dave Gray.  He takes us through all sorts of different SAR cases he had.  Which from the first duty day, flying four SAR cases just that day to hurricane Katrina where he dealt with the crazy unexpected from us on the rescue side of things.  We talk about the importance of standardization and when he was part of the USCG Stan Team, he brought his stories and experience to the operational side to prevent issues that happened to him in his SAR cases.  Enjoy!   https://www.facebook.com/therealresq https://www.instagram.com/therealresq   Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ; Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/ SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/ Life Saving Systems Corp., https://lifesavingsystems.com/

In this episode, my guest Alex Osterwalder shares 3 common traits you'd expect to find in an invincible company, the back story of how his book Business Model Generation came about from his PhD thesis, how he stays grounded as a leader and much more. You'll need a pen and notepad ready for taking some notes!   Bio: Dr. Alexander (Alex) Osterwalder is one of the world's most influential innovation experts, a leading author, entrepreneur and in-demand speaker whose work has changed the way established companies do business and how new ventures get started. Ranked No. 4 of the top 50 management thinkers worldwide, Osterwalder is known for simplifying the strategy development process and turning complex concepts into digestible visual models. He invented the Business Model Canvas, Value Proposition Canvas, and Business Portfolio Map – practical tools that are trusted by millions of business practitioners from leading global companies.   Strategyzer, Osterwalder's company, provides online courses, applications, and technology-enabled services to help organizations effectively and systematically manage strategy, growth and transformation. His books include the international bestseller Business Model Generation, Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want, Testing Business Ideas, The Invincible Company, and the recently-published High-Impact Tools for Teams.    Books/ Articles: The Invincible Company: Business Model Strategies From the World's Best Products, Services, and Organizations by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur High-Impact Tools for Teams: 5 Tools to Align Team Members, Build Trust, and Get Results Fast by Stefano Mastrogiacomo & Alexander Osterwalder Testing Business Ideas: A Field Guide for Rapid Experimentation by David J. Bland & Alexander Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur Brain Rules, Updated and Expanded: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School by John Medina Article: The Culture Map https://www.strategyzer.com/blog/posts/2015/10/13/the-culture-map-a-systematic-intentional-tool-for-designing-great-company-culture Article: Allan Mulally (former President and CEO, Ford Motor Company) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Mulally Article: Ping An (Banking & Insurance Group/ owner of Medical Platform ‘Good Doctor') https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping_An_Insurance   Alex's website & social media profiles: Website: https://www.strategyzer.com/ Twitter handle: @AlexOsterwalder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osterwalder/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexosterwalder/     Interview Transcript Ula Ojiaku: [00:28] In this episode we have Dr. Alex Osterwalder. To many, he needs no introduction. He is known for his phenomenal work on developing the Business Model Canvas. He has authored or co-authored a growing library of books including Business Model Generation; Value Proposition Design - How to Create Products and Services Customers Want; Testing Business Ideas, and one of the topics we focused on was his book that was released back in 2020, The Invincible Company. Since then, he has released a new book that's titled, Tools for Teams. I must mention though, that some of the references to concepts like travelling around the world may not be relevant in this current COVID-19 pandemic situation. However, the key principles of entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, innovation, leadership (mentioned in this conversation with Alex), I believe these are still timeless and valid. Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, with no further ado, my conversation with Alex Osterwalder.   Ula Ojiaku: [01:49] Thank you, Alex, for joining us. It's an honour to have you on the show. Alex Osterwalder: [01:53] My pleasure. Great be here. Ula Ojiaku: [01:55] Great.  So, what would you say is your typical day, typical day in the life of Alex? How does it start? Alex Osterwalder: [02:04] It depends. So, you know, there's two typical days, one typical day is when I travel, and one typical day is when I don't travel, so they're very different - if you want. I probably spend about 50% of my time traveling all across the world talking about innovation, growth and transformation strategies. And then, you know, my day is I wake up, and it's “Oh, what country am I in now?”... And just trying to get the best out of the day and talk to people about growth and transformation. When I don't travel, my typical day is mixed between helping grow and manage, Strategyzer, the company I founded, but also spending a lot of time thinking about how, can we really help business leaders, business doers do a better job, right? So, I spend a lot of time thinking, sketching out things, I wouldn't say writing because when my co-authors and I create some content, it's usually more drawing first and writing after. But I'd say a lot of time, spent on pretty fundamental questions. And the rest of that when we're not thinking that we're doing or sharing. So that's the kind of mix - not very concrete maybe. But you know, it's so diverse, it really depends a little bit on the type of day, where I am, what the project is. So - very, very diverse days, I'd say. Ula Ojiaku: [03:22] What do you prefer - traveling or not traveling? Alex Osterwalder: [03:26] I enjoy both, right. So, what's important is after intense days of travel, you know, I just this week, I was in Paris with the CEOs of one of the largest companies in France. I like coming back to Switzerland and going on a hike in the mountains, while thinking about certain topics and digesting some of the things that I've seen. What I really enjoy is being in the field with doers and leaders seeing what they struggle with. But then being able to take the time to digest that and turn that into practical tools and processes that help them do a better job, right. So that mix is what I enjoy. The diversity is exactly what I enjoy. Ula Ojiaku: [04:07] That's great. You mentioned you like hiking, am I right in understanding that when you're not running workshops, or helping doers and businesses would hiking be one of your hobbies? Alex Osterwalder: [04:21] So, I can give you a concrete example, this week, I was traveling at the beginning of the week, and for two days, I had back to back calls for 12 hours with either leaders with my own team. So, tomorrow morning, I'm going to drive to the mountains - from my office, it's about an hour away. During the drive, I take calls so I work on the drive, because I can schedule that in advance. And then I pack out my skis and I put what we call skins on the skis and I walk up the mountain for maybe 90 minutes, take the skins off and ski down for 10 minutes. That's it, right. So, during that kind of hike, it's just kind of airing out the brain. But, you know, I wouldn't say that's just leisure time that's actually thinking and digesting. So, I would think about either the topics of the week when I was in the field with real clients and business people struggling with growth and transformation issues, or thinking of my own team in my own leadership challenges. So, it's work but it's in a different context. Then, what's going to happen tomorrow is I'm gonna jump in the car again and drive back to the office in the afternoon - I work out of my office. So that's how a typical kind of day looks like when I have some time to get out of the building. I do go for a ski tour. But it isn't really disconnecting. It's just thinking in a different environment, and then come back to the office, and maybe sketch something out on the wall or on the whiteboard. Ula Ojiaku: [05:46] It also sounds like you're kind of a visual person. So, you do lots of graphics, I mean, your books, The Business Model Generation, Value Proposition Design, and Testing Business Ideas - they are very visual and easy to read. Are you a very visual and artistic person? Alex Osterwalder: [06:06] Artistic, I'd not say because my visuals are pretty ugly, but visual 100%. So, I believe if you can't sketch it out, if you can't draw a problem, you probably didn't understand it well enough. Even complex challenges can be simplified down, not to mask the complexity, but actually just to get a handle of it and to think about the most essential things. So, the reason we use visuals in our books is actually less to just make them look pretty. It's because I do believe visuals are a language, a shared language. There are some things you can't describe easily with words. Like how am I going to describe with words my business model portfolio like that makes no sense, or even describing the business model with words doesn't really make sense. Sketching it out very quickly, and then having a paragraph that accompanies that sketch, that works right or even better, when I do presentations, I would build up the visual piece by piece while telling the story. So, I get bored when people say storytelling, and then it's a lot of blah, blah, blah. I like the storytelling with the visual message. And it's like a good voice over, you know, in a movie, that will go hand in hand. So, I think we don't use visual tools enough in our business practices. In certain circles, it's a tradition. If we take more of the IT field, you don't map out a server infrastructure without using visual tools. But in strategy and transformation, people talk too much, and they draw too little. Visual tools are unbeatable, they're unbeatable. They won't get you to do things completely differently. But they will get you to do things much faster, much clearer, because you have a shared language. So, when you have a shared language to map it out, to capture it, to create a visual artifact, you have better conversations about strategy, about business models, about culture. And that is incredibly important when we talk about these fuzzy topics, right? Or change management, like what the heck does that mean? But when you start visualizing this, we're moving from this state to that state. These are the obstacles; this is how we're going to overcome it. And you make all of that visual and tangible, not too much visuals, because then it's complicated, just the right amount. That is, you know, the magic of visual communication, where you still use words, you still can tell stories, but you just use the right communication tool at the right time. Ula Ojiaku: [08:37] You're saying, ‘…not too much visual, not too many words, just the right amount…' How do you strike the balance? Alex Osterwalder: [08:46] You don't. So, the way you figure out if you're on track or not, is by testing it right? So, let's say I share a slide deck, I can see in people's faces, are they getting it? Are they not getting it? I can listen to their questions. When the questions are really about good details where you can see they understood the essence and now they're going a step further, they got it – right? When people are confused and they ask very fundamental questions of what I just explained. Well, guess what, then the problem is with me, not with them. I made a mistake in the way I told the story. So, I never blame the audience, I always look for the mistake within and say, ‘okay, what should I have done differently?' So, the way you figure out if you struck the right balance, is by continuously testing. And then obviously, over time, if you take visual language, we've gotten pretty good at creating visual books; we know what works, we know what doesn't. The challenge then is when you get good at it, is to not get arrogant. So, you always need to remember, well, you know, maybe the world changed. So, what worked yesterday doesn't work today. So, you go fast, because you know, but you always need to remain humble, because maybe you know something that was right yesterday, not today, you got to be careful. So you go fast, because you know, but you still listen enough to question yourself enough that you figure out, when do you need to change, because a lot of people get famous, and then they believe what they say, believe their own BS, they forget to stay grounded because the world changes, and you need to go with the change. So that's another balance - once you figured it out, you need to make sure time doesn't move faster than you otherwise you become the dinosaur in the room. Ula Ojiaku: [10:26] So how do you keep yourself grounded? Alex Osterwalder: [10:30] Yeah, so it's not always easy, right? So, if I just take our company, it's constantly trying to create a culture where people can speak up. Constantly trying to create a culture where people don't fear critique - design critique. That's not easy, because even though we have a pretty flat hierarchy, when you're the founder, you're the founder. So, people will say ‘yeah, but you know, I'm not gonna tell this guy he's full of BS.' So, you need to create that culture where people dare to [speak up], that's number one. But then number two is just constantly staying curious, right? When you think you figured it out, you probably just know enough to come across, like looking like you figured it out, you know too little for really understanding it. So, I just work on the assumption that I never know enough. You can't know everything. Sometimes you don't need to go further because it's just you're now looking at the 20%. They're going to take too much time. But if you stay curious enough, you'll see the big shifts. If you listen to the weak signals, you'll see the big shift coming and you can surround yourself with people who are a little bit different. The more people are like you, the less you're going to see the shift coming and that's the problem of established companies. They do the same thing day in day out. They don't see what's coming. However, if, for example, you create a portfolio of projects where people can explore outside of your core business, then all of a sudden you see, ‘…wow, they're getting traction with that? I thought that was never going to be a market….' And, ‘they're starting that customer segment – really?' So, you need to create ecosystems that keep you alert. It's very hard again, so I don't trust myself to be able to check my own BS. So, you need to create ecosystems that keep you alert. I think that's the challenge. And you know, maybe my team will say, ‘yeah, Alex, you're talking about these things on a podcast.' But you know, you don't really do that. So, I really have to be careful that that doesn't happen. That's why I admire people who can rise to really, really senior positions, but they stay grounded. One of my favorite examples is Alan Mulally. He turned Ford from a 17 billion loss-making monster into a profitable company. I was really fortunate to get to know him. And he's just grounded, like, a really nice guy. So, it doesn't mean when you have some success, you have to get full of yourself, you just stay grounded, because… we're all just people at the end of the day, right? But it's a challenge, right? It's always a challenge to remind yourself, I knew something now, maybe tomorrow, it's different. I get passionate about this stuff. So, I just go on rambling. Ula Ojiaku: [13:09] You know, I could go on listening to you. I am passionate about it from a learning perspective. Now, let's move on to the next section. I understand that the Business Model Generation, the book, which you wrote in collaboration with Yves Pigneur, I hope I pronounced his name correctly. Yeah. Oh, well, thank you. So, it came about as a result of the work you were doing as part of your PhD studies. Could you tell us a bit more about that story? And how, you finally arrived at the Business Model Generation book and the artifacts? Alex Osterwalder: [13:46] Sure, sure. So, in year 2000, I became a PhD student with Yves Pigneur. And he was looking for somebody who could help him with mapping out business models. And the fundamental idea was, can we kind of create some computer aided design system- so, we could build business models, like architects build buildings and computer aided design? That was the fundamental assumption. But in order to make computer systems like that, you need a rigorous approach, right? You need to model, what is a business model can be fuzzy, because otherwise, how are you going to build some kind of system around that? So, in architecture, it's easy. We're talking about structures and about materials. In business, it's a bit harder, what are the structures? What are the materials, what are the building blocks? So that was the starting point. And I did my PhD with him - amazing collaboration. Then I went out into the world and did a couple of things that work to help scale a global not-for-profit, then I had a consulting firm together with a friend. But then ultimately, the business model work I did on my PhD got some traction; people started asking me if I could speak in Colombia, in Mexico. First at the periphery - it was pretty interesting. People started downloading the PhD (thesis), reading it in companies… So, there were a lot of weak signals. And then, when I had enough of those, I asked Yves, ‘hey, let's write this book that we always wanted to write.' So, we embarked on the journey of Business Model Generation. And we thought we can't write a book about business model innovation without doing it. So, we tried to do it in a different way. We did Kickstarter, before Kickstarter existed, we asked people to pay us, you know, because we needed the funding, or I didn't have any money, I just came out of doing not-for-profit work. So, we got people to pay us to help us write the book. And I did workshops around the world. And it was, really fun, entrepreneurial experience. And then we launched it and became a big success. And I think a little bit of the secret was, we built something with that book, or we designed something that we would have wanted to buy, there was no that there was no visual business book, there were visual business books, but not the type we wanted to buy. And turns out, almost 2 million people had the same kind of desire. And with that, we realized the power of visual books, we realized the power of visual tools. And we started digging deeper. And then we made more books, not because the world needs more books, they're enough out there. But we always tried to address the next business challenge we would see; we would try to create a tool. If the tool works, we would create a book around it. That was the Value Proposition Canvas. And we thought, okay, people are doing testing, but they're not really good at it. Let's write another book: Testing Business Ideas. And we did that in collaboration with David Bland. So, we created a library of experiments to help people get more professional. And then you know, we saw okay, large companies, they still can't innovate. Why don't we write a book called The Invincible Company and we give them a tool that helps them to do this in a large established company. So, every time we see a challenge, we try to build the tool and the book around it to help people around the world. So, it's kind of the same. And what's fun is that behind that, behind the books, we build the technology stack to help actually bring those tools into companies. So, you know, Strategyzer doesn't earn, we earn some money from the books, but the core is really building the technology stack. So, the idea that we had in the PhD is now what we're building 20 years later. Ula Ojiaku: [17:21] Oh wow! Now when you mentioned that your company, Strategyzer, builds the technology stack on which the books are based. What do you mean by that? Alex Osterwalder: [17:32]  Maybe the easiest way to describe it is that we believe in technology-enabled services. So typically, let's say big company comes to us and says, we want to work on growth and transformation, can you accompany one of our teams. Now, traditionally, a consultancy would just put a number of people on that. And then it's just the people are going to try to solve the problem - they sell hours. We look at it slightly differently. And we say there is a type of challenge that we can productize because it's actually the same challenge all the time, how do we go from idea to validation to scale. So, there are a couple of things there that are actually exactly the same for every single team that needs to go to through that process. And then there's some things that are very domain specific; in Pharma, you will test ideas differently than in Consumer Goods, etc., etc. But we would then start to build the online training and the software platform that would allow us to address that challenge of going from idea to validation to scale, in a lot more structured way, in a lot more technology enabled way. There're things where a human coach adds huge value. And there's things where online learning or a software system will create a lot more value; online collaboration, tracking the data, comparing the data understanding how much have you de-risked your idea so far. I'm sharing that with senior leaders. All of that can be automated. The way I like to compare it is like ERP's in companies like SAP and so changed operations, there are tons of companies out there and today, we have a lot less. But when they changed operations, they did that with software, I think the same is going to happen to strategy and innovation today. That today, we don't use a lot of good software, we use PowerPoint, Word, and maybe Excel, right? That's not good enough. Those are general purpose tools, which create a lot of value. But you shouldn't use those to manage your strategy and innovation, because that's becoming a very dynamic process. When you talk to a big company, a corporation, they have thousands of projects going on at the same time; thousand innovation projects. How do you manage that portfolio? It's more than just typical project management, we're talking innovation project portfolio, so you need to understand different things. That's the kind of infrastructure that we build, not just the software, also the tools and the content, online training, so become scalable, so people can change the way they work. Ula Ojiaku: [20:08] Fascinating. Now, when you talk about the automated part of your tech platform, are you talking about dashboards? Alex Osterwalder: [20:16] Yeah, let me give you a simple example. Right? So, when I'm a team, and I start mapping out my idea, an idea is just an idea, right? Technology, market opportunity… I need to create my Value Proposition Canvas and my Business Model Canvas to give it a little bit more shape. How am I going to capture value from customers? How am I going to capture value for my organization? Right - that you need to sketch out. Okay, you could use a digital tool to do that because then you can share as a team – sort of useful but not breakthrough. But then as a team, when you start to manage your hypothesis, you need to ask yourself, ‘okay, what needs to be true for this idea to work?' You might have 10, 20, 50 hypotheses, you want to start to track those hypotheses. You want to start to track ‘how are you testing those hypotheses? What is the evidence that I've captured?' You need actually whole-knowledge management around the evidence that you've captured in the field. ‘Oh, we did 50 interviews, we have about 30 quotes that confirm that people have a budget for that particular process', right? That is not something you easily manage in a spreadsheet, it gets a mess very quickly; that's at the team level. Now, once you have that data captured, what if you could take that data and automatically create a risk profile so the team knows ‘this is how much we de risk our idea. Oh, we looked at desirability, maybe 10% of desirability, 20% of feasibility. We looked at some viability...' Once you have data, you can manipulate the data in very different ways and understand the challenge better - that's at the team level. Now imagine at the senior level where you have, again, you know, 100, 500, 1,000 teams doing that; you want to understand which team is working on the biggest opportunity. ‘Okay, this one. But yeah, we invested maybe half a million dollars in that team, but they actually didn't de-risk the idea at all.' So, it looks like a great opportunity, but there's no de-risking. So actually, that might just be hot air, right? And you want to be able to do that for a thousand teams. Today, the way we do it is the teams pitch to a manager who pitches to the senior leader. And that's just a mess. So, it's very similar to what I mentioned with ERP. There's a lot of data there, that is hidden in different places - in spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. There's no way to aggregate that. So, guess what? Strategy today and innovation is badly managed - if people are doing it right, that's already another challenge. You know? Ula Ojiaku: [22:45] Okay Alex Osterwalder: [22:46] Today, people are not that good at strategy and innovation. But that's radically changing, because the tasks are getting really big. It's not just about profit, it's also about impact. So, there are a lot of exciting challenges ahead of us, that require a different toolset and different software stack to even be able to do that. Ula Ojiaku: [23:05] Wow. So, do you consider lean innovation important for organizations of all sizes? And if so, why? Why? Why? I know, it's an obvious question. But why do you consider that the case. Alex Osterwalder: [23:20] Very simple and the challenge is different for the startup than for the established company. So, for the startup… So, for both… let's start with what's shared. For both, it's a matter of survival, okay? Now, let me start with the team first. Well, what's the challenge when you're a startup, you don't have any customers, you don't have any revenues, you might have some self-funded or VC funding, you're gonna run out of money. And I think we're in an age where there's too much money. So, for a while you for quite a while, you can live without a business model, we have some great examples, billion-dollar unicorns that have no business model, and they're still alive, because they're just funded by VCs. That is a very rare thing. That's not for everybody. So, at one point, you do need to understand how you create and capture value. So, you want to get as fast as possible, from idea to not just validated business, but actually a company that makes money that captures value, right? Because, you know, yes, it is. You can say, ‘yeah, but the beginning is about users.' That's okay. But users, you know, without revenues, not going to keep you alive for a while, VC funding is not a revenue stream. Let me just make that clear. VC funding is not a revenue stream. Ula Ojiaku: [24:34] They are out for a profit as well. Alex Osterwalder: [24:36] So sometimes young founders confuse that. Yeah, you can focus on funding. But ultimately, the funding needs to allow you to find a profitable and scalable business model. Sometimes people forget that. So that's survival at the startup stage, right? Now, what Lean does, and I'm not sure the word is very well chosen, because Lean comes actually from making things better. But in the startup world, is actually figuring out what's going to work in the first place, you're not making your business model better, you're trying to figure out which one is going to work. So, the testing of your idea is essential to get faster from idea to real business, or, in some cases, to shut it down. Because let's say you take VC money, and you find out, this is not a scalable business, you better give the money back or buy out the VC share, because all they care about is scale. And there's quite a few companies that bought back their shares, Buffer is a very well-known example, because they figured out the business model they're comfortable with, which is not further scaling. Highly profitable… definitely growth, but not the insane kind of growth VC venture capital's looking for. So you get faster from idea to real business with the Lean Startup approach and Customer Development by Steve Blank and Eric Reis, or you get faster to the point where you say, ‘this is not working, I'm going to change, I'm going to stop - not pivot - I'm going to stop.' And then, radical pivot - maybe you start a new startup with a completely different goal. That's for startups. For the established companies, it's a matter of survival for a different reason. Because their business models are dying and expiring. So, most established companies are very good at efficiency innovation; new technologies, digital transformation…, they improve their business model. Now, that is important, and you need to do it. But if you just get better at what you're doing while your business model is dying, you're just going to more efficiently die. So, at the same time, you need to learn how to reinvent yourself. So, it's a matter of survival that you figure out what's tomorrow's business model. And you can't do that without the Lean approach because it's not about making big bets, it's about making a lot of small bets. But here's the nugget that people get wrong. So, they say, ‘yeah, we're gonna do Lean Startup.' So, they have five projects, and they believe that out of those five projects, if we just pivot enough, we're gonna get a multibillion-dollar growth engine. That is delusion at its best. Because, if you look at early stage venture capital, you actually need to invest in at least 250 projects to get one breakthrough success. So, what it means for established companies, if they really want to find the winner, they need to invest in tons of losers. And they're not losers, per se. But some of those projects need to be killed after three months, some of those projects might make 10 million or $100 million in revenues. But only something like one out of 250 will move towards 500 million or a billion. That, is a matter of survival. So, the companies that don't build an innovation portfolio and don't apply Lean in a broad way, not for five projects, not enough - that's what I call innovation theater. They need to apply it across the board, right? And I think that's where Steve Blank's work, our work together has actually made a pretty big difference. Now, we just need to convert a couple more companies, because there are only very few that have been able to pull this off - that are really what we would call ‘Invincible Companies.' Ula Ojiaku: [28:15] Can you tell me a bit more about the book, Invincible Company? Alex Osterwalder: [28:19] So, there are three main components to the Invincible Company. Let me tell you about the three characteristics of an invincible company. The first thing is, invincible companies constantly reinvent themselves. So, they're not laying back and saying, ‘hey, I was successful', they don't get arrogant. They constantly reinvent themselves. Typical example is Amazon, constantly reinventing their business model; going into Amazon Web Services, going into logistics, etc. That's number one. Number two, invincible companies, they don't compete on products and technology alone. They compete on superior business models. I believe it's much harder to stay ahead with technology because it's easy to copy. Patents don't make that much sense alone anymore. It's all about speed. So today, if you don't build a superior business model, it's hard to stay ahead. Let me give you an example. Take Apple with the iPhone. It's not the phone per se that's keeping them ahead. What's keeping them ahead is the ecosystem around iOS, with a lot of developers that create a lot of applications; you cannot copy that. You can copy the phone technology - there are tons of phone makers out there. There're only two operating systems, right. So that's a superior business model. The third one is, invincible companies; they transcend industry boundaries. Today, if you look at Amazon, you can't classify them in an industry. They do e-commerce, they do logistics for IT for, you know, web, web infrastructure for companies around the world. Their logistics company - they're competing with UPS. So, you can't classify them in an industry, they have a superior business model. My favorite example, at the moment is a company called Ping An in China, one of the top 30 largest companies in the world, in terms of profitability. Well, what did they do? They moved within seven years, from being a banking and insurance conglomerate, towards becoming a technology player that built the biggest health platform on the planet, a platform called Good Doctor. That came from a bank and insurer - can you imagine that? Right? So, they transcended industry boundaries. And that's why they're ahead of everybody else. So, those are the three characteristics of invincible companies. And then in the book we show well, how do you actually get there? We just described you know, how that animal looks like. How do you become that? So, three things. One, you need to manage a portfolio of business models, you need to improve what you have, and invent the future - innovation funnels, etc… What I just told you before.  It's not about making five bets, it's about making 250 bets. And how do you manage that? How do you manage measure risk and uncertainty? Second thing, superior business models; we have a library of patterns, business model patterns, where we give inspiration to people so they can ask themselves questions: ‘How could I improve my business model? How could I create recurring revenues? How could I create a resource castle to protect my business model? How could I shift from product to service? How could I shift like Apple from selling a device to becoming a platform?' So that's the second aspect. And then the third one, which most companies are struggling with, is ‘how do I create an innovation culture systematically? How do I design and manage an innovation culture?' So, it's almost, you could say three books in one. So, you get three for one, if you get The Invincible Company. Ula Ojiaku: [31:54] It sounds very exciting in terms of the work that you must have done to collate these trends and attributes that make up an invincible company. So, what exactly made you guys now say, ‘hey, we need to write this book?' Alex Osterwalder: [32:09] That's a question we always ask because there's so many books out there; the world does not need another business book. So, if we put energy into this, because these projects are pretty big, we had a team of five people working on it, three designers actually six people, three content people. So, it's a crazy effort. The reason was very simple. We had already put a lot of tools out there  - and processes - and companies were not moving at the scale we believe is necessary for them to transform to either revive their business models, or tackle challenges like climate change, right? So, you have to be very inventive, innovative, to actually make a profit and become sustainable, like Unilever. So, we said, ‘well, what's missing?' And the big piece missing is the shared language at the senior level, where they can think about ‘how do I manage a portfolio of businesses to fight off disruption? So, I don't get disrupted. But so, I am among the disruptors. So, I invent the future, like Ping An, like Amazon - they invent the future.' You know, they're not the victim of Porter's five forces, they shaped entire industries, right? Porter's five forces was 1985. That's quite a while ago. ‘The world's changed; we need new analytical tools…', I like to joke, right? But so, we didn't see companies moving enough. So, we asked, ‘could we create the tools to help these companies to help the leaders change?' So, we created a very practical set of tools and processes, and procedures so these companies would start to move. Because a lot of senior leaders will tell you, ‘but innovation is a black box. I don't know how to do this. I know how to do mergers and acquisitions. But I don't really know how to do this innovation thing.' So, they kind of move towards buzzwords. ‘Yeah, we're gonna do agile!' Well, that means nothing per se. So yeah, we're gonna work in an agile way when we do this. But that's the mindset. But there's a more to it when you really want to start building an invincible company. So, we packaged all of what we've learned in the field, plus our whole thinking of how can we make it easy for them to capture and work on it. So, taking down the barriers to action, so nothing would prevent them from action. That's how we always decide, ‘should we do another book?' Well, only if we believe we have a very substantial contribution to make. Ula Ojiaku: [34:37] Talking about the three ‘hows' of becoming an invincible company, you did say that the third element was about changing the culture.  Alex Osterwalder: [34:48] Yeah, sure. Yeah. Yeah. Ula Ojiaku: [34:49] Now, there is this book I read by John Kotter about Leading Change... Alex Osterwalder: [34:57] Yeah, yeah absolutely Ula Ojiaku: [34:58] And culture changes last. So, what's your view on how best to change culture because usually, people are resistant to change? Alex Osterwalder: [35:09] So, I believe you can actively design and manage culture. You know, every company has a culture.  It's just that very few companies design and manage their culture. So, the first thing is, you need to map out the culture that you have. So again, we're tool obsessed. So, we created a tool together with Dave Gray called the Culture Map. And with the Culture Map, you can map out the culture you have, and you can design the culture you want. Okay, that's in a general way. In The Invincible Company, we talk about innovation culture. So, we show what are the blockers that are holding companies back from creating an innovation culture? And we show what are the enablers that companies would have to put in place to create an innovation culture? So simple stuff, right? What's the blocker? I'll give you some blockers. Companies require business plans, business plans are the enemy of innovation, because you force people to sketch out a fantasy over 50 pages, and then you invest in a fantasy and it blows up in your face. It's ridiculous. So, business plans are one enemy of innovation. It's a blocker. Okay, let's look at an enabler. An enabler would be to embrace a culture where you can experiment, fail, learn and iterate. That sounds trivial. But in most companies, you cannot fail, you'll jeopardize your career. So, you need to create a space where experimentation and failure is not just possible - it's mandatory because you know, you need to test ideas. So, if you don't do that deliberately; if you don't have the governance that's going to reward that, in the right place, it's not going to work. And now a lot of people would say, ‘yeah, we do that… we do that.' But it depends how you're doing ‘that'. So, we're very specific with these things and say, well, ‘you're at risk of having an innovation theater, if you don't enable leadership support.' ‘Yeah, well our leaders are supporting it…' Okay? ‘How much time is your leader, your CEO spending on innovation every week?' If he or she is not spending 40% of his or her time on innovation, innovation will not happen at that company, period. So that's an enabler that is not a soft factor is a very hard factor. Because it's actually even less about what the CEO does. It's the symbolic value of a CEO spending 40% of his or her time on innovation, which will show ‘this is important.' And then everybody will work towards what's important for the senior leadership. So, all those kinds of things - we codify them, to take them from the anecdotal evidence towards, ‘here are the three areas you need to look at: leadership support, organizational design, innovation practice. You need to work on those three areas. And you can start to systematically design an innovation culture.' So, I'd say the difference between the days of Kotter, I still love Kotter's work, is I do believe today, we can more actively design culture and make it happen. Is it easy? No, it's really hard. Are we going to face resistance? Yes. But if you do it well, I can tell you when it comes to innovation, people are hungry for it. They're just waiting for it. So, all you have to do - you don't even need to design enablers, just take away the obstacles and everything else will happen. Ula Ojiaku: [38:40] Oh, fantastic. So, the what book do you find yourself giving as a gift to people the most and why - in addition to your fantastic suite of books? Alex Osterwalder: [38:53] So… there's just so many that I don't have one ‘go-to' book that I would really recommend. It's depending on what are people looking at, you know, what is their challenge, and I would recommend the right kind of book that I have in mind for the right challenge. So, I don't like doing an overall thing. There is one book that I just put is the foundation of working the right way, which is John Medina's Brain Rules. So, it's actually a brain scientist. He's very funny. He wrote a book called Brain Rules. It's all based on peer reviewed science, there's a certain number of rules that you need to follow in everything you do: designing a workshop, managing your company, you know, teaching something, being a parent. So, if you follow those brain rules, well, you're very likely to have more success. With the work you're doing, you're gonna achieve better results, because you're following the way your brain works, right? And a lot of the work we do is actually not, not right. So, I'll give you an example. He talks about visuals, every single person on the planet is visual, guess what? It's evolution – (there) used to be a lion running after us. Well, we would need to see it and run away. That's visual. That's evolution. Those who didn't see it coming, they're not here anymore, right? Evolution ate them up. So, we're visual, by definition. That's why when you write when you create a book or a slide deck, using visuals is not a nice to have; of course, everybody has their style. But if you really do it well, you use the words for the right thing, use visuals for the right thing, you're gonna have a huge impact. Because by evolution, every one of us, every single one of us is visual. So that's one brain rule, which sounds a little bit trivial. But the really good insights there of rules you should never break. Right? So that's one I do recommend. But then everything else is based on the challenges I see with, you know, what people are struggling with. Ula Ojiaku: [40:47] I would add that to my library of books to read then. Now, would you have any advice for individuals starting up in their entrepreneurship journey? And also, what advice would you have? So, there are two questions here: what do you have for organizations starting off their lean innovation journey? So, individuals and organizations. Alex Osterwalder: [41:14] So, for both, I would say fear nothing, embrace failure. So, you know, then people tell me, ‘don't always talk about failure. It's not about failure. It's not about failures, is it? It's about learning.' No, it's not about learning. It's about actually adapting your idea until you figure out what works, right? But a lot of that will be failure. And a big part of the innovation journey is you know, falling down and getting up. So, my big advice to individuals is, don't believe those people on the cover of a magazine because you don't see the failure they went through. And if there's somebody who didn't have that much failure, they kind of got lucky. But that's one in a million. So, don't get blinded by those pictures that the press put in front of us. Success; there is no shortcut. Yeah, you can get lucky. But that's one out of a million. Success is hard work. It's a lot of failure. It's a lot of humiliation. Those who get over humiliation, those who can stand up, those are, those are gonna win. However, sometimes you need to stop, right? So, when people say, ‘ah, never give up!' Well, knowing when to stop is not giving up. When you're not made for something, when the idea (you had) – (you find out) there's no business there, you better stop because you're gonna waste all of your money and energy for something that's not there. But you can take those learnings and apply it, maybe to a different opportunity. So never, never fear failure, right is an important one to always get up. That's for individuals. For companies, I'd say go beyond innovation theater. So, break the myths and figure out how innovation really works. Open up what still might be a black box or question yourself, you know, are we really doing Strategic Growth and Innovation? Because a lot of companies will say, ‘Yeah, we do that, we do Lean Startup, we do Agile.' Yeah, but then you look under the hood, it's really innovation theater. When you really do this well, you actually invest in 200, 300, 400 projects at a time, small amounts. And you're really good at killing ideas to let the best emerge. So, it's not about making a few big bets. It's about making hundreds and hundreds of small bets. And then continuously invest like a venture capitalist in those ideas and teams that are bubbling up, right. So, go beyond innovation theater, learn how this really works. This is a profession. This is not something you learn over a weekend at a masterclass anymore. That's how you get started. This is a hard profession treated differently than management. Managing an innovation, management and execution and innovation and entrepreneurship are two different planets. So please accept that. That's my advice to organizations. Take it seriously, otherwise, you're gonna die. Ula Ojiaku: [43:51] Thank you so much. It's been a wonderful conversation with you, Alex, thank you again for being on this show. Alex Osterwalder: [43:58] Thanks for having me. Wonderful questions. Great conversation.

Jeg hørte først om Mathias i en artikel, der nævnte hans håndtegnede nyhedsbreve, og da jeg så tjekkede hans site, Think Clearly, blev det hurtigt tydeligt, at han har gang i en masse spændende projekter - og derfor er et oplagt offer for work.flow :-) I episoden her fortæller Mathias om baggrunden for nyhedsbrevene, forskellen på at skrive i hånden og bruge fx en iPad, og hvordan proces og værktøjer hænger uløseligt sammen. Udover nyhedsbrevene laver Mathias også en slags spillekort til personlig udvikling og strategi-arbejde, og har også for nylig lanceret en podcast. Links Think Clearly Håndtegnede nyhedsbreve Card Decks med inspirations-spørgsmål (incl. pdf download) Link til Mathias’ podcast MS Office Lens-appen FiftyThree - laver Paper og Pencil til iPad Dave Gray - der var med til at sætte gang i Mathias’ Card Decks - har bla firmaet XPLANE SpørgeJørgen på 24syv var inspiration for Mathias Sennheiser HD 25 er Mathias’ foretrukne hovedtelefoner Mathias optager sin podcast på en Zoom H2N og bruger iZotope RX6 til filtrering De tre tips Accelerere alting i sine læringsprocesser og værdsætte hvor hurtigt man kan lære, snarere end at jage perfektionen fra begyndelsen. Drop det med at ting skal være balance - find i stedet en rytme, hvor tingene svinger frem og tilbage, fx mellem hyperproduktivitet og ro. Huske at stille spørgsmålet ‘hvorfor’ - også selvom du måske ikke kender hele svaret. Hvad er formålet med det du laver - og hvad er din motivation?

Who is on the show: In this episode, we host Dave Gray. He is the founder of XPLANE and author of multiple books including Liminal Thinking. Why is he on the show: He is a visual artist and uses agile, iterative techniques like Visual Thinking, Culture Mapping, and Gamestorming to get people engaged and involved in co-creating clear, unique and executable business strategies. His latest book - Liminal Thinking, talks about a core practice for connected leaders in a complex world. What do we talk about: In a free-wheeling conversation, we speak about How did he come about writing his book "Game-storming" with Sunni Brown and James Macanufo and his experience of writing the book Empathy Map and he shares a story about a session where he used the map and how it impacts people Why is it so difficult for people to empathise with others? How did his book "Connected Company" come about and what it was all about (Digital Transformation), which led to the question about how to make the transformation? How this led him to his latest book - "Liminal Thinking" The entire conversation around belief and how critical it is for internal transformation What are some of the most simple of things that if done can have significant impact on our lives? The ability to sit back and observe oneself as a third person is a meta ability that can help us bring about significant changes in our own lives. How could one go about developing this ability? Is there a connection between being in the moment and visual thinking? Something that was surprising and interesting while researching for the book - "Liminal thinking". Who does he considers the most inspiring person and why? What is it that you see in the world that blows his mind? What is the biggest limitation of humanity? Why? What does his creative process looks like? What are his routines that support his creativity? What gives him joy or how does he rejuvenate himself? Where does he get creative ideas from ? What is his learning habits? How does he continue to evolve and grow as a person? Book Recommendation: History of Illuminated Manuscripts Making Meetings work What he thinks is obvious but people miss all the time (The answer will definitely surprise you). What is one thing he wants you to do as soon as you finish listening to this conversation? Liminal thinking talks about learning six principles and nine practices. These nine practices of liminal thinking can be summarised as three simple precepts: Get in touch with your ignorance. Seek understanding. Do something different. Here is a video where Dave explains the Pyramid of Beliefs from his book and you can find a summary of his book here. How can you connect with him: You can follow him on twitter @DaveGray and his website is http://www.xplaner.com.

Is your business surviving or thriving? My guest today is brand survival expert Jonathan David Lewis, the author of “Brand Vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments.” The marketing agency where Jonathan's a partner, McKee Wallwork + Co., has been recognized by Advertising Age as a national leader in branding and marketing. Jonathan specializes in working with stalled, stuck or stale brands that have been living in survival mode. He works to break companies out of ambiguity to hit marketing with a clarity that helps them thrive. “So much of the way out [of survival mode] has to do with psychology and human nature and emotion far more than any of us would like to admit,” Jonathan tells me in this episode. Jonathan's watched as the marketing realm has undergone a complete overhaul, with continuous and dramatic changes still filtering down. That uncertainty has left many stalled, stuck or stale brands that need to revamp their image and their strategies. And to develop a new breed of resilience. Using his background in psychology, Jonathan recognizes the predictable ways people react in survival mode and channels that for better marketing. And he's done it all without sacrificing his integrity. If you've noticed that biographies of great people tend to be filled with a mess of a personal life, this episode's for you. If you feel your business is stalled, stuck or stale, Jonathan's story may help you get chugging again. And if you want to weatherproof your business for the ongoing marketing storms in today's fast-changing world, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Jonathan David Lewis discuss with me how to make your business thrive in the new marketing age and more: How to deal with lightning-fast changes in the marketing world. Knowing who to disappoint. The one attribute that will get you ahead farther than any other. Developing resilience in your business. Being comfortable in ambiguity. Why business leaders act the way they do in the face of disruptions or industry challenges. The one thing every successful strategy has behind it. Work-life balance while writing a book. Buckling down when things seem hardest to WIN! Why Jonathan's company won't service many big-money companies. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase The Lions Pride may get a small commission. “The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level,” by Gay Hendricks “Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding the Three Fears That Sabotage Client,” by Patrick Lencioni “The Connected Company,” by Dave Gray and Thomas Vader Wal “Brand vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments,” by Jonathan David Lewis How to contact Jonathan David Lewis: Website   Feeling stuck? You don't have to feel stalled, stuck or stale in your business. As coaches leading a movement of businessmen, we walk beside you to bring your business and life to a higher plane. If you feel stuck at all, let's talk about it. In your free video call, we'll get you started back toward the freedom to grow and go BIG. Learn more

Visual thinking and nurturing an innovative culture

Sunni Brown leads off GIRL POWER Season 3 of the Sketchnote Army Podcast! Trained as a graphic recorder at the Grove by visual thinking Jedi master David Sibbet, Sunni has found her own path to incorporating game design, design thinking, and improv into her visual thinking practice, to create fully immersive services for her clients. Listen as Sunni and I talk about her path to where she is now, the impact and importance of community, empathy, and more. SPONSORED BY The Sketchnote Army Clothing Collection! A variety of t-shirts and sweatshirts available for sale at Teespring that support Sketchnote Army and look fashionable at the same time! http://sketchnotearmy.com/t-shirts SHOW NOTES Sunni Brown - https://twitter.com/sunnibrown Book: The Doodle Revolution - http://sunnibrown.com/doodlerevolution/ SXSW Interactive: Visual Thinking 101 - http://rohdesign.com/weblog/2010/5/11/sxsw-2010-visual-note-taking-101-podcast-slides.html Book: Gamestorming - https://www.amazon.com/Gamestorming-Playbook-Innovators-Rulebreakers-Changemakers-ebook/dp/B003XDUCLS/therohdesignwebs Book: The Doodle Revolution - https://www.amazon.com/Doodle-Revolution-Unlock-Power-Differently/dp/1591847036/therohdesignwebs ComedySportz Milwaukee - http://www.cszmke.com/ Dave Gray - http://www.xplaner.com/ Dave Gray's Sketchnote Army Podcast Interview - https://soundcloud.com/sketchnote-army-podcast/dave-gray-se02-ep01 Book: Liminal Thinking - http://twowavesbooks.com/book/liminal-thinking/ The Backward Bike - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0 Seinfeld: Opposite George - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKUvKE3bQlY Book: Unleashing The Idea Virus - http://www.sethgodin.com/ideavirus/01-getit.html Mind Mapping - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map Book: Untangled - http://sunnibrown.com/untangled Book: War of Art - https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026/therohdesignwebs The Grove - http://www.grove.com/ Graphic Recording - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIgcoc7Wqg Graphic Facilitation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_facilitation Rob Dimeo - https://twitter.com/Rob_Dimeo_ Sketchnoting and Scientific Topics - http://sketchnotearmy.com/blog/2016/1/25/sketchnoters-stories-sketchnoting-and-scientific-topics-rob.html 2017 New Years Aspirations - https://twitter.com/sunnibrown/status/815290932048396293 Zig Dual Writer Markers - https://www.amazon.com/Zig-Memory-System-Writer-Marker/dp/B004XIVOFA/therohdesignwebs Neuland Markers - http://us.neuland.com/ Static Notes - https://teslaamazing.com/ Tombow Paint Markers - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XAORTC/therohdesignwebs Betabook - http://www.betabook.co/ Grove Paper - https://grovetools-inc.com/collections/supplies/products/paper ULINE Butcher Paper - https://www.uline.com/BL_1956/Butcher-Paper?keywords=roll%20paper Box Cutters - https://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult?keywords=box%20cutter SUNNI'S 3 TIPS Not needing permission. Whatever you make is going to be OK, so dot it! Practice the visual alphabet, build a visual library. Best kept secret! It's not cheating to use reference images and icons. Peer collaborators - share and play with community.

In the first episode of the second season, I talk with Dave Gray, founder of XPLANE and the visual thinking leader who introduced me to using visuals as a practice and a way of thinking. SHOW NOTES Dave Gray - http://xplaner.com XPLANE - https://xplane.com Lascaux caves - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux The Sketchnote Workshop - http://sketchnoteworkshop.com XPLANE Strategy Activation - http://www.xplane.com/services/strategy-activation.html Selling to the VP of No - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X0436E0/therohdesignwebs Marks and Meaning - http://xplaner.com/marksandmeaning/ Gamestorming - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596804172/therohdesignwebs The Connected Company - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1491919477/therohdesignwebs Liminal Thinking - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933820462/therohdesignwebs Sharpie Extra Fine Point - https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Permanent-Markers-Extra-Fine-Point/dp/B00006IFHZ/therohdesignwebs Index Cards - https://www.amazon.com/Unruled-Index-Cards-White-Pack/dp/B0016P4A5Y/therohdesignwebs Moleskine Xtra Large - https://www.amazon.com/Moleskine-Classic-Notebook-Extra-Large/dp/B015NG44EI/therohdesignwebs Visual Note Taking at SXSW - http://austinkleon.com/2010/05/10/visual-note-taking-101-sxsw-panel/ Apple iPad Pro - http://www.apple.com/ipad-pro/ Apple Pencil - http://www.apple.com/apple-pencil/ Microsoft Tablet PC - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Tablet_PC Surface Pro 4 - https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/devices/surface-pro-4 Surface Pen - https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/accessories/pen Concepts Pro - http://concepts.tophatch.com Visual Thinking Basics - http://xplaner.com/2012/12/07/visual-thinking-basics/

There is always a valuable lesson in something that pisses you off. Helps you understand what you stand for - and if nothing pisses you off - I guess you don't stand for much (chew on that).  This advice gets tossed around a lot in the business world "charge your worth."  Let me preface this conversation with - I fully believe in humans being paid well AND doing what they love. I do not love seeing people struggle to get by, or giving so much away for free that they can't pay the bills, hence why I teach a sales course as well. I equally do not love seeing people charge fees that could be considered extortion or not in line with the value of the service/product.  Why I think "charging what you're worth" is bullshit... We see this "charge what you're worth" concept all over the place:  • You deserve to earn six figures!   • You work so hard, you deserve it!   • Don't listen to that, you're worth it!  • Raise your prices - you are worth so much more than that!    This sense of entitlement is fed to us that we deserve more than we're earning and that if we're not earning the way we desire, it's framed as evidence that we don't believe in our worth.  But this is where I call bullshit.  We are all worthy of having our needs met. All humans deserve that. BUT we don't deserve whatever we want (that includes other humans' dollar bills y'all) just because we feel good about ourselves.  What we earn has nothing to do with our personal worth.  Attaching our personal worth to the value you provide with a product or service makes no logical sense and can lead to more pain than pleasure.  I think it can actually make us pretty neurotic since it only reinforces the idea that our worth as a human is, in any way, connected to the amount of money we should be charging. It has us look constantly at our own reflection and selves versus looking out into the world and the impact we have on others.  When you're hiring someone to do something for you - do you pay them for their value as a human or for the results they are able to provide to you?  The latter of course!  What if they do a shitty job? Does that have any reflection on their worth? What if they still think they're "worth it"? This isn't about their value as a human, it's about the value of service that you may or may not have received. THAT in itself is the only indicator of price.  No one person is worth any more than another...can we agree on that? Please.  Or for example, if you stop doing work that pays money are you worth less than you were when you did work that paid?  Or if you have no money (or worse are deep in debt) are you worth any less as a person who make millions? The answer is NO.  It has nothing to do with our self-worth. So, how can we keep throwing around this "charge what you're worth" statement?!  What the hell does that even mean?! I bet it doesn't help you slap a price on your product or service either...probably feels pretty weird and ambiguous when someone tells you that.  It's also a DISEMPOWERING question that can lead down a slippery slope.  It calls into question something personal that goes beyond the actual value of your skill or service.  There's also a dangerous connotation that links price with love or acceptance -- "if you like me, you'll pay what I'm worth and if you don't, I must not be good enough."  Eww.  Okay, so now what, right!? I blew your whole pricing strategy. Faccckkkk.  Here are some reasons it makes no sense: Your work is not priceless. You are. There's really no way to quantify what “you're worth” because you can't measure the value of your life. However, skills, products, and services are definitely quantifiable. They're quantifiable because there's a going rate. And then there's also the option to increase or decrease those prices based on how you position the product/service in the marketplace. 2) You left out the customer. There is no value without the customer. How much is a house worth if no one will buy it? The answer is nothing. It's worth nothing. So if someone doesn't buy your product/service it's worth nothing, but that doesn't mean that YOU are worth nothing. Your product/service has ZERO value until a customer is willing to pay for it. Dave Gray states: “A company can't create value on its own: value is only created through exchange. The customer must participate in defining and determining that value.” Let me help. Instead...separate what you do for people from what it means about YOU. In other words, take your ego out of this whole thang.  What you charge has absolutely zero donut holes to do with what you're worth as a human being and absolutely everything to do with the value people perceive they're getting in what you're offering. Period.  Understand the whole market. Understand there is no set price.  There's no one set price for a cup of coffee. Go to the grocery store and pay the equivalent of 25 cents per cup. Go to McDonalds and pay a dollar. Go to Starbucks and pay three. Go to a local boutique coffee shop and happily pay seven.   It's just as much about the entire experience, or current circumstances and urgency of your ideal client as it is about the actual coffee in the cup.  Your market is the same. Do you know what the bottom vs. top-of-the-line looks like and how much it costs? You need to understand both ends and where you want to fit in. So instead of asking what "you're worth," the better question is... What are the results of my product/service worth to my potential client?  Because believe it or not - this isn't about you - it's about the value of the product/service you provide and how your potential client perceives it.  Hence why it's SUPER important to understand your audiences pain points, their urgencies, their highest goals, AND the value & results that your offer provides.  So, stop charging what "you're worth" and start charging based on the value of the results to your potential client (even if this price is the same - there's a totally different energy and feeling when you detach it from self-worth).  So how can you address this in practical terms? Determine what influences your price. From both YOUR side and the customer's side of the equation.  Price goes well beyond materials, overhead, labor, experience or even skills. Those are just factors from YOUR point of view.  But many other factors influence price from a customers' point-of-view. Think about: what the product/service means to them personally how urgent their problem is the experience you deliver what results the product/service promises, and how your customers perceive your business in relation to the rest of your competition Determine what you need to change to create better results for your clients and better position in the market for your business, and then create a plan to make it happen! And stop charging what you're worth! Join me in this FREE 'Make More Sales' Masterclass: www.adriennedorison.com/makemoresales