MT/Sprout

The more dumb ideas, the better When do you come to brilliant insights? If employees are given the space to come up with absurd ideas, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. And it is up to leaders to create the right environment. The makers of South Park show how this is done. South Park thrives […]

Follow your passion? What a nonsense! Following your passion is lousy advice for an entrepreneur, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. The best motivation comes from curiosity; just look at Boyan Slat (The Ocean Cleanup) and Lex Hoefsloot (Lightyear). But even that is not enough to be successful. More plastic in the sea than fish

Our society converges towards ‘sameness’ and it numbs us White walls, wood, and black steel. We see these design elements everywhere; in homes, workplaces, and coffee shops. That feels comfortable, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. But it also dulls our senses. ‘There are fewer surprises that tickle us and that doesn’t do our creativity

Holland’s best innovator? Dutch comedian Theo Maassen! Theo Maassen is praised for hosting Zomergasten, a Dutch prestigious 3-hour interview show. That’s not a surprise for innovation expert Simone van Neerven. The comedian has been reinventing himself for years and – consciously or unconsciously – successfully applies many innovation lessons. Just an excerpt from one of

Today’s true innovators are regenerative farmers Solutions do not always come from technology, says innovation expert Simone van Neerven. In regenerative agriculture, farmers take a step back to learn from nature. ‘Such a holistic approach would also be very useful for organisations.’ Dare to step up The Netherlands cultivates flower bulbs over a total area

Oh my lord! I am a rebel. Now what? As a rebel, you have unique qualities that you can use to help your team or organisation. Innovation expert Simone van Neerven lists five. Plus what to do if nobody is listening to you. Lots of people identify as a rebel, but feel they cannot show

Why won’t managers listen to their employees? Organizations that listen to their employees perform better. Yet many managers ignore good ideas from their employees. Why is that, wonders innovation expert Simone van Neerven? “They often take criticism too personally and believe their abilities are being questioned.” Being silenced Sandra Palmen works as a top lawyer

Man U soccer coach Erik ten Hag knows why some teams buzz with energy and others don’t Building a well-functioning coalition is difficult with super chickens in your team. Manchester United soccer coach Erik ten Hag understood this very well, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. He asked star player Ronaldo to leave, and now,

Seven excuses from people who don’t want to change (and how to deal with it) Pioneering is fun, but can also be exhausting if you run into obstacles all the time. Innovation expert Simone van Neerven lists seven excuses from people who don’t want to change. Including tips on how to handle each situation. A

One of the most fatal mistakes is loving your solution too much BlackBerry was so focused on its own success that the threat of the iPhone was ignored. Therein lies a lesson for entrepreneurs, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. Every now and then you have to take a step back and observe. And then

Rebellion leads to magical results What do Spider-Man, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Ikea have in common? They almost didn’t exist, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. Fortunately, the inventors were rebellious go-getters. ‘Groundbreaking innovations often require a healthy dose of courage.’ Bohemian Rhapsody broke all the rules When Freddy Mercury proudly presented Bohemian Rhapsody to his

Why going to the bathroom is good for innovation Often you get the best ideas in the bathroom or in the shower. You can dream away without being disturbed, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. But to come up with really good ideas, something else is needed: distraction. ‘Slide to Unlock’ on the first iPhones

Launching something new? Trust emotion over data Relying too much on data without considering the human factor can be one of the most dangerous things a business can do. The examples of Nokia, Airbus, and American Airlines show that, writes columnist Simone van Neerven. ‘More data does not necessarily lead to more insight.’ Nokia over-relied

Why do we make things so complex all the time? We have a natural tendency to make things increasingly complex, while the solution often lies in simplifying things. Innovation expert Simone van Neerven explains how this works with examples of cows and electric cars. A growing amount of people have gluten allergy or intolerance An

Don’t miss your next breakthrough by underestimating your workforce Major breakthroughs can very well come from within organizations, writes columnist Simone van Neerven. Pioneering ideas such as Post-Its, the PlayStation, and IKEA stores are living proof of this. Two revolutionary IKEA concepts Big ideas often start very small. The key to success lies in seeing

Innovation almost never starts with a great idea One of the biggest myths about innovation is that it starts with a brilliant idea. But nothing could be further from the truth, says innovation expert Simone van Neerven. Meaningful innovations often begin with a good dose of wonder. And wonder starts with observing and seeing things

If you struggle with diversity, check the innovation team (like Bumble did) You don’t always have to look externally for the solution to a problem. Internal teams can also provide a fresh perspective, sees innovation expert Simone van Neerven. ‘The key to success often lies in breaking through the silos.’ Lack of cognitive diversity can

The surprising benefit of feeling lucky How you deal with unexpected events influences your success, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. Be open to the unexpected. And who knows, that revolutionary business idea comes your way. Lucky people count pictures much faster In the 1990s, scientist Dr. Richard Wiseman performed a simple experiment. He asked

Want to innovate? Learn how to be comfortable with feeling uncomfortable Change makes people insecure, but organizations can also use it to drive innovation. Create the right context for your employees and magic will happen, writes innovation expert Simone van Neerven. Certainty above all Time and again, scientific research shows that people naturally seek security

Kickstarting innovation? Six tips to empower rebels in your team Rebels are seen as difficult and organisations often go around them. A crying shame, says innovation expert Simone van Neerven. These tips will help you to make full use of their potential. KLM’s deadlock Turning aircraft around – all processes to get a plane ready

Oh no! We have a rebel in our team. But is that really a disaster? That one colleague who is out of step and contrarian is quickly referred to as a troublemaker. Change your perspective, says innovation expert Simone van Neerven. That rebel can be the key to successful innovation. Coco Chanel was quite a