an online book by David Gurteen
Serendipity is the fortunate and unexpected discovery of valuable things, information, connections, or people, often arising by chance while in pursuit of unrelated goals.
Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. The term was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754.
The concept is often associated with scientific and technological breakthroughs, where accidental discoveries led to new insights or inventions. Many significant discoveries in history were serendipitous, including penicillin, Post-it notes, Viagra, and the microwave, arising from unforeseen circumstances that were then recognized and capitalized upon.
While serendipity in popular usage is often understood as a matter of pure chance, scientific discussions emphasize the crucial role of human agency—recognizing, interpreting, and acting upon unexpected opportunities. This interaction between chance and conscious action has been a key theme in areas such as creativity, leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Christian Busch views serendipity as "active luck", where chance encounters and human action come together. A missed flight or a casual walk in the park can lead to new friendships, interests, or even career opportunities.
Credit: Wikipedia - serendipityInventing 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 … Continue reading Inventing the Future Requires Giving Up Control George Land
Long-term planning is irrelevant, if not a hindrance. Strategy should not be about the realisation of prior intent, but rather emphasis on the importance of openness to accident, coincidence and serendipity. Strategy in this case is the emergent resultant. Successful strategies, especially in the long term, do not result from fixing an organisational intention and … Continue reading Long-term Planning Is Irrelevant, If Not a Hindrance Mee-Yan Cheung-Judge
Gurteen Knowledge Blog March 4, 2022, 10:39The larger the organization — the more extensive and grander the reception area. Huge impressive, impersonal halls of glass, stainless steel, and marble. What a waste of space! I wish I could recall the name of the law firm I heard about in Germany who transformed their reception area by … Continue reading Reception Areas Are Such a Waste of Space Turn them into cafés
Humiliating to human pride as it may be, we must recognize that the advance and even the preservation of civilization are dependent upon a maximum of opportunity for accidents to happen. Credit: Friedrich Hayek Source: The Constitution of Liberty (page 81)Posts where this quotation is embedded Building 20 at MIT Innovation Story: A humble wartime lab … Continue reading The Advance of Civilization Is Dependent Upon the Opportunity for Accidents to Happen Friedrich Hayek
Gurteen Knowledge Blog May 30, 2023, 14:21I have long been a fan of Randomised Coffee Trials (RCTs) — social experiments where people are randomly matched for coffee meetings to facilitate knowledge sharing and relationship building. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, you can learn more about it in my blook. Typically, RCTs are run within organizations … Continue reading The World Talks The world’s biggest dialogue experiment
Gurteen Knowledge Blog December 20, 2024, 12:34In a post in my blook, I explore the unexpected yet pivotal role serendipity can play in our lives. Serendipity is about stumbling upon valuable discoveries or connections by chance while pursuing unrelated goals. It’s more than mere luck – it can be influenced and encouraged through specific attitudes and … Continue reading Finding Value in the Unexpected The hidden power of serendipity in our lives
Walking Conversations ** Water Cooler Conversations ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter People are more productive when they’re alone … but they’re more collaborative and innovative when they’re together. Some of the best ideas come from pulling two different ideas together. Credit: Marissa Mayar Physical space has a huge impact on the way … Continue reading Introduction: Conversational Environments ** Designing places and spaces for good conversations
Conversation Is a Dance ** Life Is a Conversation ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter We often have informal professional meetings without a plan in which the conversation meanders and little is accomplished. We need to focus more, but how? By adding a light structure, we can improve the quality, depth, and meaningfulness … Continue reading Improving Informal Conversations ** Add a little structure
Make Big Talk Connect People Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Connect more: Connect with people more broadly and more deeply. We are becoming more connected with each other and less connected with each other at the same time. The Paradox We are becoming more connected with each other and less connected with each … Continue reading Connect More Connect more broadly, more deeply
Water Cooler Conversations ** Walking Conversations ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Office hallways have traditionally been spaces for quick, informal exchanges among colleagues. However, these brief interactions often go underutilized. By embracing the potential of these spontaneous conversations, we can create opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration, inspiration, and problem-solving. Like watercoolers or coffee … Continue reading The Value of Hallway Conversations The magic of the hallway conversation lies in its spontaneity
Pitching by Conversation ** Ritual Dissent ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter A Randomized Coffee Trial, also known as an RCT, is a social experiment where individuals are randomly matched for coffee meetings, aiming to facilitate serendipitous connections, knowledge sharing, and relationship building in a casual setting. The History The original idea was … Continue reading Randomised Coffee Trials It is just a coffee, but at the same time it is much more
The Innovation Café Network Introduction: Innovation Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter 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 … Continue reading The Power of Serendipity Discover how chance encounters can lead to insights and new opportunities
