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

Social Business, The Future of Work5 Comments

#WorkHacks – Create Serendipity By Reducing Bathrooms

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Serendipity implies things happening due to forces beyond your control. Yes, but no. You can create serendipity in your workplace through office design. I read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs, and a story that stuck for me was his involvement in the design of his offices. He demanded only one toilet block for the entire office, and that it be in the atrium. He wanted serendipitous meetings to occur between people who would not otherwise collide and connect. Where’s The Washroom? At a recent knowledge share session at work, I asked 30 colleagues where they would place the kitchen … Continue reading #WorkHacks – Create Serendipity By Reducing Bathrooms

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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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Nature Is Networked Too

ThisMuchWeKnow

How lovely to discover that Nature, bigger-than-thou, that ALWAYS wins out over time, is networked, like a cooperative enterprise. Although we’re accustomed to thinking of trees as individuals, competing with each other for sun and nutrients, recently uncovered evidence suggests that they cooperate, with more mature individuals transferring carbon and nutrients to less mature individuals through their root systems, mediated by the action of fungi. If forests actually are more cooperative enterprises than we have heretofore imagined, singleton, isolated trees might be regarded as being in an unnatural state, like the isolated team member of a virtual team. A little … Continue reading Nature Is Networked Too

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Cool, Lean, Fast: Recipe For Organizational Seduction

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A cute little Technocrati article on how Yammer has made enterprise software ‘sexy’, no less. I am a confirmed fan of the platform, though I have never heard it called sexy before, even by nerd-ola “Yampions.” Still, of more interest was its recipe for success: cool, lean, fast. Yes. Of course, this speaks to software, start-ups, the next big thing. This is how technology ‘seduces,’ according to the article. But it also speaks to more broader disorganizational changes coming to the workplace. Enterprises in all industries need to embrace the concepts of cool, lean, fast – to survive in the … Continue reading Cool, Lean, Fast: Recipe For Organizational Seduction

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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.

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Curious Kids: How To Get Papa Interested In Dog Poop

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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

The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of Work2 Comments

Eat What You Study

ThisMuchWeKnow

I am no great of formal education. If I lived my life again, I would spend more energy tinkering on my own, rather than spending all those years expecting others to force-feed me stuff. It all starts out fine – check out the smiles on day one of school this week! – but enthusiasm quietens quickly. Education, as is, simply provides employers some sense of general intelligence and focused interest in a candidate. The usability of what was learned is left at the door. Adults learn by doing. Practice, practice, practice. Work harder. So, I liked this take on education your … Continue reading Eat What You Study

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Oh Dear. Anagram of Kindergarten = Entering Dark

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My eldest daughter Lola started school this week. This is how she felt about it. You might also sense the excitement of my 2-year old Zoe, by wearing her back pack, of wanting to go to school NOW. Maternelle https://t.co/BzrAF45QUS — Jonathan Anthony (@ThisMuchWeKnow) September 4, 2013 I am a firm believer that the curious will inherit the world; but also that school seems to prepare people for the end of the 19th century. So, here is my question: how long will it take for school to suck the life force out of her? An anagram of kindergarten is entering … Continue reading Oh Dear. Anagram of Kindergarten = Entering Dark

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Digital Is The New Social

ThisMuchWeKnow

One of the most popular blog posts here is called “Open Is The New Social.” It talks about how naming conventions are important to your business goals – and that no-one can complain about being ‘open’ vs those who complain that ‘social’ is water cooler nonsense. On the same refrain, it has been noted on ‘social’ circles how the word DIGITAL is making a comeback – the late-90s are cool again. In my team at work we recently had a conversation that went something like this: “Digital strategy > social strategy. Sounds better. Sounds good!” Why are we beating up … Continue reading Digital Is The New Social