Category: The Curious Will Inherit The World

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Curious Kids: What Does The Future Hold?

ThisMuchWeKnow

Sitting at the dinner table, browser open, Change Agents Worldwide social network status update asking me “What are you working on?” My 5-year old daughter Lola asked me me “What’s that?” and I explained that the group think about the future of work. Then I asked her: “What comes to mind when you think about the future?” She typed: “trees snow  flowers dirt animals people nature” and clicked SHARE. Often, I am trying to imagine the future anew; and to synthesize an approach to get there, for me and for others. But, sometimes the future can be the most literal … Continue reading Curious Kids: What Does The Future Hold?

Personal Branding, Story + Narrative, The Curious Will Inherit The World2 Comments

Sturgeon’s Law: 90% Of Everything Is Crap. Yes.

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We read more than we have ever done. And there is more stuff to read than every before – exponentially more. According to some random blog (ok, a WIRED blog, but who cares, I’m amplifying something I read online and you are reading it): The science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon famously said something like, “Ninety percent of everything is crap,” … I couldn’t agree more with Sturgeon’s Law, but nor could I be happier. That law allows me – nay, it practically invites me – to write. Stuff, crap stuff maybe 90% of the time, but stuff I am interested in, … Continue reading Sturgeon’s Law: 90% Of Everything Is Crap. Yes.

Social Business, The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Why Does No-one ‘Get’ #SocBiz? Because We Don’t Like ‘Bad’ News

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Many E2.0 leaders and social business (SocBiz) practitioners are currently wringing their hands, decrying the difficulty that knowledge workers are having embracing the new opportunities at work. Technology and network thinking have the potential to transform outdated modes of organizing. Yet, (too) many workers cling to the past. Why so? Because people are stupid. Joke. But it might have some deep-seated neurological basis. Our sentiment is to ignore “bad” information, and change information (a new work reality) is usually considered bad. From a New York Times article on making bad decisions… When the volunteers were given information that was better … Continue reading Why Does No-one ‘Get’ #SocBiz? Because We Don’t Like ‘Bad’ News

Social Business, The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of Work1 Comment

#WorkHacks – Embrace Chaos

ThisMuchWeKnow

Twenty of the 25 (US) jobs with “the largest projected growth don’t require college degree (& are low-wage)” – via @BillIves. [BTW: Many of these jobs are healthcare related. Clearly, sickness and health cannot be automated/outsourced (so much).] Simple, repeatable tasks, wherever possible, are being replaced through automation. More complicated tasks, non-core, are outsourced to cheaper locations. If you want to be (well) paid as a (developed world) knowledge worker, you need to move up the value chain toward complexity and chaos. Complexity is difficult to pass on to someone else to deal with. It take more intellectual rigour and sophistication to … Continue reading #WorkHacks – Embrace Chaos

The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of Work1 Comment

#WorkHacks – Learn To Learn

ThisMuchWeKnow

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. I retell this story a lot. A few years ago I was a part of a large group of colleagues challenged to discover the secret to, and unlock the potential of, a learning organization. It was a very well-meaning process to get us to be more efficient, to learn from mistakes / the past, to become more innovative etc. The project bombed, it went nowhere, fast. There was a report delivered, and poorly received. The endeavour was still born. Years later, having done so much research and having re-engineered my own work … Continue reading #WorkHacks – Learn To Learn

The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of Work3 Comments

#WorkHacks – Be Kid Curious

ThisMuchWeKnow

Twenty percent of people may have the gene variant DRD4-7R that is associated with curiosity  (and ADHD), but 100% of people were once curious as children. Curiosity is the child’s genius – in their intrigue with understanding the world around them, they make new synapsual connections unique in the world. As we age, most of us lose the ability to remain curious. Instead, we learn patterns and repeat them, unquestioningly. Last week I shared Peter Matthiessen‘s bewitching hope that we can all become seekers. So, how do we ‘become seekers’? If the central premise of ‘THE FUTURE OF WORK!’ is the need … Continue reading #WorkHacks – Be Kid Curious

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What Does It Mean To Become A Seeker?

ThisMuchWeKnow

The more I read about CURIOSITY, the more I am convinced it is the number one attribute required for long-term, future-proofed  success. We live in times of great tumult – we must be agile, and what better preparation for aggressive, ongoing change than a willingness to discover? The ever-impeccable Harald Jarche talks about Gary Klein’s new book Seeing What Others Don’t, how so much of work is focused on removal of error and uncertainty – the process of packing away, hiding, locking down. Insight, however, comes from that willingness to test, to discover, to seek. Which reminds of my favourite … Continue reading What Does It Mean To Become A Seeker?

The Curious Will Inherit The World1 Comment

How Many Kids Have The Curiosity Gene?

ThisMuchWeKnow

Gene DRD4 helps control dopamine, a chemical brain messenger important in learning and reward. Variant DRD4-7R is linked to: curiosity; taking risks; embracing movement, change, and adventure; ADHD. 20% of people have this gene variant. Yet, when we think about kids – and ourselves at a much younger age – we come to a different conclusion. I asked a cheeky poll question at work this week: What % of children are curious? Here are the results: It is good to see I have some kid curious colleagues. What would you answer? ←This Much We Know.→ Continue reading How Many Kids Have The Curiosity Gene?

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Wow. Foucault 30+ years ago prognosticates (the need for) the social era.

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Great extract found at Sara Hendren’s blog from Foucault from 30+ years ago: Foucault “I dream of a new age of curiosity. We have the technical means for it; the desire is there; the things to be known are infinite; the people who can employ themselves at this task exist. Why do we suffer? “From too little: from channels that are too narrow, skimpy, quasi-monopolistic, insufficient. There is no point adopting a protectionist attitude, to prevent “bad” information from invading and suffocating the “good.” Rather, we must multiply the paths and the possibility of comings and goings.” Hello internet. Hello social. Hello … Continue reading Wow. Foucault 30+ years ago prognosticates (the need for) the social era.

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Wow. Foucault 30+ years ago prognosticates (the need for) the social era.

ThisMuchWeKnow

“Curiosity is a vice that has been stigmatized in turn by Christianity, by philosophy, and even by a certain conception of science. Curiosity, futility. The word, however, pleases me. To me it suggests something altogether different: it evokes “concern”; it evokes the care one takes for what exists and could exist; a readiness to break up our familiarities and to regard otherwise the same things; a fervor to grasp what is happening and what passes; a casualness in regard to the traditional hierarchies of the important and the essential. I dream of a new age of curiosity. We have the… Continue reading Wow. Foucault 30+ years ago prognosticates (the need for) the social era.

Story + Narrative, The Curious Will Inherit The WorldLeave a comment

Curious Kids: How To Get Papa Interested In Dog Poop

ThisMuchWeKnow

Lola won some playdough at school yesterday. Her first project: a dog taking a poop. Very refined. First she wanted a photo of it and I obliged, grudgingly. There is a bit too much poop conversation in my house, frankly. Then: “One of those 6-second video Papa!” A Vine video, eh? Suddenly, I’m intrigued! A Vine video needs action, not a 6-second photo, so we caught the dog in action. A satisfying result all round. Lola’s play dough dog does a poo https://t.co/4g2sXHe9Xm — Jonathan Anthony (@ThisMuchWeKnow) September 10, 2013 Vine – and Instagram video – really is an exciting … Continue reading Curious Kids: How To Get Papa Interested In Dog Poop