Posts where this video is embedded Coffee House Innovation Innovation Story: The London coffee houses that fueled conversation, innovation, and societal shiftsPeople: Steven Johnson (1)Steven Johnson Popular science authorBooks: Steven Johnson (2)Did Coffee Fuel the Age of Enlightenment? Steven Johnson (2009)Steven Johnson Popular science authorVideos: Steven Johnson (1)Did Coffee Fuel the Age of Enlightenment? Steven Johnson Continue reading Where Good Ideas Come From Steven Johnson (2010)
People: David Gurteen (1)David Gurteen Keynote speaker, writer and conversational facilitatorBooks: David Gurteen (80)A Conversation Architect Designs Strategic Conversations David GurteenAPM Conference: Conversational Leadership David Gurteen (2016)Being Truthful Versus Telling the Truth David GurteenChatbot Constraints David GurteenChatbots as Critical Thinking Partners – Talk for Bibliotheca Alexandrina David Gurteen (2024)Chatbots Lack Nuanced Communication Skills David GurteenChatbots Continue reading Who Should Drive Innovation? David Gurteen (2010)
Posts where this video is embedded The Enlightenment The Age of Reason The London Coffeehouses of the Enlightenment Centers of Enlightenment thinkingPeople: Steven Johnson (1)Steven Johnson Popular science authorBooks: Steven Johnson (2)Steven Johnson Popular science authorWhere Good Ideas Come From Steven Johnson (2010)Videos: Steven Johnson (1)Where Good Ideas Come From Steven Johnson (2010)Tags: ideas (21) | innovation Continue reading Did Coffee Fuel the Age of Enlightenment? Steven Johnson (2009)
Posts where this video is embedded Introduction: Innovation The introduction of something newPeople: David Gurteen (1)David Gurteen Keynote speaker, writer and conversational facilitatorBooks: David Gurteen (80)A Conversation Architect Designs Strategic Conversations David GurteenAPM Conference: Conversational Leadership David Gurteen (2016)Being Truthful Versus Telling the Truth David GurteenChatbot Constraints David GurteenChatbots as Critical Thinking Partners – Talk for Continue reading What Are the the Best Circumstances for Thriving Innovation? David Gurteen (2010)
Steven Johnson is an American popular science author and media theorist. 5 Minute Life Lessons with Steven Johnson WebsiteSteven JohnsonWikipediaSteven JohnsonX (Twitter)@stevenbjohnsonYouTubeSteven JohnsonGoogleSteven JohnsonBooks: Steven Johnson (2)Did Coffee Fuel the Age of Enlightenment? Steven Johnson (2009)Where Good Ideas Come From Steven Johnson (2010)Videos: Steven Johnson (2)Did Coffee Fuel the Age of Enlightenment? Steven Johnson (2009)Where Continue reading Steven Johnson Popular science author
True Eureka innovation is not going to happen by an internal training programme but from engagement in the real world. | Dave Snowden Continue reading True Eureka Innovation Is Only Going to Happen by Engagement in the Real World Dave Snowden
Introduction Recent research has shown that conversation is important for improving innovation. It has also been found that conversation improves group and individual performance and knowledge sharing. This article will address some of the principles of innovation and how conversational techniques can be harnessed to improve business outcomes. Innovation can mean many things, from the Continue reading The Innovation Conversation Keith De La Rue (2012)
Listening to others’ verbalized experiences stimulates memories, ideas, and experiences in participants. This is also known as the group effect where group members engage in “a kind of ‘chaining’ or ‘cascading’ effect; talk links to, or tumbles out of, the topics and expressions preceding it” | Thomas R. Lindlof and Bryan C. Taylor Continue reading Listening to Others’ Experiences Stimulates Memories and Ideas Thomas Lindlof and Bryan Taylor
Posts where this video is embedded David Gurteen Biography Speaker, writer and conversational hostPeople: David Gurteen (1)David Gurteen Keynote speaker, writer and conversational facilitatorBooks: David Gurteen (80)A Conversation Architect Designs Strategic Conversations David GurteenAPM Conference: Conversational Leadership David Gurteen (2016)Being Truthful Versus Telling the Truth David GurteenChatbot Constraints David GurteenChatbots as Critical Thinking Partners – Talk Continue reading Delivering Innovation Through Conversation David Gurteen (2022)
If a building doesn’t encourage [collaboration], you’ll lose a lot of innovation and the magic that’s sparked by serendipity. So we designed the building to make people get out of their offices and mingle in the central atrium with people they might not otherwise see. | Steve Jobs Continue reading Buildings to Encourage Collaboration Steve Jobs
AustraliaAustriaBrazilCanadaChinaCzech RepublicEgyptFranceGermanyGlobalIndiaItalyJapanMexicoNetherlandsPolandSaudia ArabiaSingaporeSpainTurkeyUAEUnited KingdomUnited States As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission when you purchase a book via this site. Posts where this book is embedded Exploring the Adjacent Possible Understanding change as a series of nearby moves Walden, or Life in the Woods Words and Minds: How We Use Language to Continue reading Where Good Ideas Come From: the Natural History of Innovation Steven Johnson (2010)
A Gurteen Knowledge Café at a WINN (Worcestershire Innovation) meeting, Worcester, 2017 The question: “What are life’s big questions that require innovation as an answer?” Posts where this video is embedded David Gurteen Biography Speaker, writer and conversational host Knowledge Café Workshop Recommendations February 2021People: David Gurteen (1)David Gurteen Keynote speaker, writer and conversational facilitatorBooks: David Gurteen (80)A Continue reading Knowledge Café for Worcestershire Innovation David Gurteen (2017)
The United States did not enter the microcosm through the portals of the Ivy League, with Brooks Brothers suits, gentleman Cs, and warbling society wives. Few people who think they are already in can summon the energies to break in. From immigrants and outcasts, street toughs and science wonks, nerds and boffins, the bearded and the beer-bellied, … | George Gilder Continue reading Where Does Progress Come From in the World? George Gilder
To make better sense of the world, improve decision making, strategizing, and innovation we need to convene small groups of people to engage in creative conversations triggered by powerful questions. | David Gurteen Continue reading Making Better Sense of the World David Gurteen
Abstract Although innovation is one of the most commonly mentioned concepts in social science unintended undesirable consequences of innovation are rarely studied. This study does a literature review of all articles in the EBSCO database, with innovation in the title and which study undesirable consequences. We found only 26 such articles; 1 per 1000, a Continue reading Unintended and Undesirable Consequences of Innovation Karl-Erik Sveiby, Pernilla Gripenberg, Beata Segercrantz, Andreas Eriksson, Alexander Aminoff (2009)
Inventing the future requires giving up control. No one with a compelling purpose and a great vision knows how it will be achieved. One has to be willing to follow an unknown path, allowing the road to take you where it will. Surprise, serendipity, uncertainty and the unexpected are guaranteed on the way to the future. | George Land Continue reading Inventing the Future Requires Giving Up Control George Land
People: David Gurteen (1)David Gurteen Keynote speaker, writer and conversational facilitatorBooks: David Gurteen (80)A Conversation Architect Designs Strategic Conversations David GurteenAPM Conference: Conversational Leadership David Gurteen (2016)Being Truthful Versus Telling the Truth David GurteenChatbot Constraints David GurteenChatbots as Critical Thinking Partners – Talk for Bibliotheca Alexandrina David Gurteen (2024)Chatbots Lack Nuanced Communication Skills David GurteenChatbots Continue reading How Best to Secure Continuous Innovation? David Gurteen (2010)
People: David Gurteen (1)David Gurteen Keynote speaker, writer and conversational facilitatorBooks: David Gurteen (80)A Conversation Architect Designs Strategic Conversations David GurteenAPM Conference: Conversational Leadership David Gurteen (2016)Being Truthful Versus Telling the Truth David GurteenChatbot Constraints David GurteenChatbots as Critical Thinking Partners – Talk for Bibliotheca Alexandrina David Gurteen (2024)Chatbots Lack Nuanced Communication Skills David GurteenChatbots Continue reading When Innovation Should Take Place? David Gurteen (2010)
In the book Treading Lightly: The Hidden Wisdom of the World’s Oldest People by Karl Erik Sveiby and Tex Skuthorpe, the authors present Indigenous Australian knowledge as a way of living shaped by long relationships with place, community, and time. They describe how this knowledge grows from sustained observation of the land, sensitivity to patterns, Continue reading Treading Lightly: the Hidden Wisdom of the World’s Oldest People by Karl-Erik Sveiby (2007)
Innovation rarely emerges from rigid structures or top-down plans. When conversation is missing, ideas struggle to surface, connect, or grow. Creating spaces for open, honest dialogue allows new thinking to arise naturally and collectively. Continue reading Introduction: Innovation The introduction of something new
Nurturing an innovative culture goes beyond traditional management and control methods. Many initiatives fail by trying to enforce change through rigid directives, which can backfire. Instead, culture should be seen as emergent, evolving naturally through interactions, flexibility, and supportive environments where creativity can thrive. Continue reading Nurturing an Innovation Culture Allowing emergence, not imposing change
During the Islamic Golden Age, diverse cultures converged in Baghdad’s House of Wisdom, creating a hub that bridged traditions and sparked innovation through collaboration. Its history offers lessons on how shared efforts can drive transformative advancements in science, philosophy, and society. Continue reading The House of Wisdom Innovation Story: An Islamic beacon of innovation and collaboration
Here’s a small collection of videos in which I share my thoughts on innovation—how it emerges, who should drive it, and the conditions that help it thrive. These talks span different times and contexts, but they all explore a common theme: innovation as a social, conversational process. Tags: innovation (50)Google Web Search Photo Credits: Midjourney (Public Continue reading Videos: Innovation Recordings of David Gurteen’s talks on innovation
In the 17th and 18th centuries, London’s coffee houses bridged social divides, creating inclusive spaces for conversation. The rigid class hierarchy limited interaction elsewhere, stifling exchange. Coffeehouses provided an egalitarian setting for diverse perspectives, sparking ideas that fueled political movements, scientific progress, and transformative business ventures. Continue reading Coffee House Innovation Innovation Story: The London coffee houses that fueled conversation, innovation, and societal shifts
Amid World War II, the U.S. urgently needed advancements in radar technology. MIT lacked adequate space, so the hastily built Building 20 became home to wartime research. This makeshift structure’s flexibility and interdisciplinary environment fostered groundbreaking collaboration, demonstrating that innovation flourishes when diverse minds and ideas interact freely. Continue reading Building 20 at MIT Innovation Story: A humble wartime lab that sparked a legacy of innovation and collaboration
In the late 1930s, HP’s founders built a culture rooted in creativity and collaboration. Decades later, facing new challenges, Carly Fiorina saw the need to rekindle that spirit. Her “Rules of the Garage” offered simple principles to cut through bureaucracy and inspire meaningful, people-centered innovation. Continue reading Rules of the Garage: Reigniting Innovation at HP Innovation Story: How Carly Fiorina’s Manifesto Modernized the HP Way
Innovation thrives where diverse ideas meet. Yet, many organizations struggle to create environments where collaboration leads to real breakthroughs. Pixar’s journey shows how openness, meaningful dialogue, and creative risk-taking can turn challenges into opportunities, blending technology and storytelling to transform an entire industry. Continue reading The Pixar Way Innovation Story: Lessons from Pixar on blending ideas, technology, and storytelling
Silicon Valley and Route 128 once stood as hubs of technological innovation. Yet, their contrasting ecosystems led to different outcomes, with Route 128 lagging behind. By examining these differences, we can understand how open networks and risk-taking cultures drive sustainable innovation and growth in technology-driven regions. Continue reading Silicon Valley Versus Route 128 Innovation Story: How Silicon Valley’s open culture outpaced Route 128’s closed network
Urban transportation has long struggled with inefficiencies, from unreliable taxis to limited convenience. These challenges called for innovative solutions to make getting around easier. Uber answered with a groundbreaking platform, using GPS and smartphone technology to transform how people navigate their cities. Continue reading The Birth of Uber Innovation Story: How everyday frustrations and collaboration shaped Uber’s global transformation
In the early 2000s, Google introduced its 20% time policy that let workers spend one day a week on their own projects. This helped employees create new ideas while still doing their main jobs. Though it was hard to manage as the company grew, this approach led to successful products like Gmail and AdSense. Google showed how giving workers some freedom can spark creativity in a company. Continue reading The Google 20% Free Time Policy Innovation Story: A catalyst for innovation
Organizations often rely heavily on a single contractor to deliver critical outcomes. While traditional, this approach concentrates risk and limits innovation. Distributed funding offers a more innovative alternative: it spreads resources across multiple contractors or projects to encourage experimentation, reduce failure impact, and scale successes based on proven results. Continue reading Adaptive Funding for Innovation Diversifying investments to drive innovation
Innovation often gets trapped in silos, seen as the domain of specialists or formal initiatives. This leaves everyday insights and small improvements untapped. The Innovation Café flips that script—creating space for anyone, in any role, to identify opportunities and take simple, meaningful steps toward change. Continue reading The Innovation Café Network Sparking everyday innovation
Serendipity is the unexpected discovery of valuable insights and connections. Yet, in our fast-paced world, we often miss these moments, rushing past unplanned opportunities. By embracing curiosity and diverse interactions, we can increase the likelihood of meaningful, chance encounters that lead to new learning and growth. Continue reading The Power of Serendipity Discover how chance encounters can lead to insights and new opportunities
Innovation can look like it happens overnight, but typically develops step by step. Change mostly comes from building on what already exists and stretching just beyond our current limits. The theory of the adjacent possible explains how progress happens by gradually expanding into new territory that’s within reach of where we are now. Continue reading Exploring the Adjacent Possible Understanding change as a series of nearby moves
Many features develop or appear for one purpose, then end up serving another. This shift, called exaptation, often occurs by chance rather than design. Knowing about it can help explain surprising advances in nature, technology, and organizations. Continue reading Exaptation and Innovation Finding new uses for what already exists in nature and society
Unintended consequences are outcomes of an action that are not intended or foreseen. Most such consequences are undesirable. Continue reading Unintended Consequences In a complex system, every purposeful action produces unintended consequences
We’ve long treated productivity as a race to do more in less time. However, when creativity relies on research, writing, and clarity, good ideas often stall before they take off. Language models like ChatGPT help us transition from thought to action more quickly, transforming how we think, work, and create. Continue reading Rethinking Productivity with LLMs How LLMs help us move from idea to impact
The adjacent possible shows that small steps can lead to significant changes. But human habits and fears often shrink the space we move within. When we listen and respond with openness, conversation becomes a gateway to new futures. Continue reading Conversations and the Adjacent Possible How dialogue creates quiet shifts in what is possible
Curiosity fuels human progress. Today’s complex world can dampen our natural inquisitiveness. Encouraging questions help us understand change, find new ideas, and keep learning. Continue reading The Power of Curiosity Driving human progress
Conversation Covenant Brown-bag Lunches ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close What is brainstorming? Brainstorming is a popular ideation technique for generating new ideas. The basic premise is to get a group together and have them share Continue reading Brainstorming A group discussion to produce a list of ideas or solutions to a problem.
Benjamin Franklin founded the Junto Club almost 300 years ago, recognizing the value of conversation and the importance of cognitive diversity in convening innovative conversations. Continue reading Benjamin Franklin’s Junto Club Benjamin Franklin founded the Junto Club – a conversational society in 1727
In 2006, I ran a knowledge-sharing workshop for an international organization in Zurich. As part of the workshop, I ran a Knowledge Café. The experience transformed my understanding of the power of the Café process. Continue reading Knowledge Café in Zurich, Switzerland The Knowledge Café has empowered our staff to speak up and take the initiative
In many communities, persistent problems such as malnutrition or disease often resist top-down solutions. Too often, experts overlook the hidden knowledge already present within the system. Positive Deviance offers a way forward by uncovering uncommon yet successful behaviors already practiced by insiders and building change from within. Continue reading Positive Deviance in Action How everyday outliers spark lasting community change
