“We especially need imagination in science. It is not all mathematics, nor all logic, but is somewhat beauty and poetry.”
Astronomer Maria Mitchell (1818-1889), the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Also see Robert Sapolsky on science and wonder and Richard Feynman on the cultural role of science.
Behavioral Economist Dan Ariely on the relationship between creativity and dishonesty | Brain Pickings
Organizations that are both social and analytical will be able to counteract our all-too-human tendency to make gut decisions using mental gymnastics to justify what we really want. Here’s some fascinating research.
Why You Have Your Best Ideas When You’re Least Productive | Gizmodo
Researchers have been studying how innovation and creativity varies with circadian rhythms—the natural patterns that make you a morning person or an evening type—and the findings are suprising. A lot of studies have shown that we perform best—or at least, get most done—during peak times in our circadian rhythms when we’re most alert. But the new study, by Mareike Wieth and Rose Zacks, reveals that during the lulls in productivity we’re more easily distracted, and that those distractions can help aid creativity. Their conclusion: you have your best ideas when you’re least productive.
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In 2003, a total of five exabytes of data existed.
Now we generate that every two days.
”Changing Education Paradigms
Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity and that changes paradigms of our education system.
Enterprise 2.0 and Human Psychology | letterpress.se
When you ask business leaders what is needed to survive and thrive in today’s complex economic and global marketplace, the list is long – leadership, creativity, collaboration, innovation, motivation, trust, teamwork, partnerships, learning organizations, rationality, quality decision-making and problem solving skills, accountability and resiliency. But even though there is often consensus on what’s needed – there doesn’t appear to be any real understanding of how you get these things from people – or where they even come from.
The concept that many of these goal can be achieved through a more open, transparent organisation that supports idea sharing and collaboration is evidently extremely hard to accept.
Web-based creativity: Can working in virtual communities be more effective than face-to-face cooperation?
The surprising truth about what motivates us.
How has the nature of leadership changed in the new economic environment?
In a world fraught with uncertainty, what are today’s CEOs doing to strengthen their situations against competitors?
Previously, CEOs have consistently identified change as their most pressing challenge. Today, CEOs are telling us that the complexity of operating in an increasingly volatile and uncertain world is their primary challenge. And, a surprising number of them told us that they feel ill-equipped to succeed in this drastically different world.
How are leaders dealing with this level of complexity? What strategies are the most successful organizations employing to tap into new opportunities, and overcome the barriers to growth? To find out, we conducted over 1500 face-to-face interviews—the largest known study of its kind with CEOs from companies of all sizes across 60 countries, representing 33 industries.
Find out more in Capitalizing on Complexity
Thinking Visually
