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boris becker andre agassi tongue

Andre Agassi’s curiosity led to a surprising insight about Boris Becker’s tongue

Andre Agassi’s curiosity led to a surprising insight about Boris Becker’s tongue Curious employees are often intrinsically driven to make things better. Even though their actions don’t always seem to lead anywhere, Simone van Neerven illustrates with an anecdote about top tennis player Andre Agassi that it could potentially result in a breakthrough. Boris Becker’s

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feike sijbesma onzeker leider

Insecurity is former CEO Feike Sijbesma’s secret to success

Insecurity is former CEO Feike Sijbesma’s secret to success Being insecure as a leader is often seen as a weakness. Being overconfident, however, will not help you either since it will prevent you from being open to new insights. Feike Sijbesma’s leadership style is impressive and shows how to be insecure yet successful, writes innovation

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bad idea abilene paradox

If everyone knows it’s a bad idea, it won’t happen… right?

If everyone knows it’s a bad idea, it won’t happen… right? How can a group of people make a decision that every individual disagrees with? This phenomenon is known as the Abilene Paradox. According to innovation expert Simone van Neerven, this can have disastrous consequences, such as the disaster with the space shuttle Challenger in

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sameness society numb

Our society converges towards ‘sameness’ and it numbs us

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

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theo maassen rebel innovator nederland

Holland’s best innovator? Dutch comedian Theo Maassen!

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

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regenerative agriculture innovators

Today’s true innovators are regenerative farmers

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

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managers listen employees

Why won’t managers listen to their employees?

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

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erik ten hag manchester united team energy

Man U soccer coach Erik ten Hag knows why some teams buzz with energy and others don’t

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,

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resistance change

Seven excuses from people who don’t want to change (and how to deal with it)

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

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magical results rebellion

Rebellion leads to magical results

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

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breakthrough workforce

Don’t miss your next breakthrough by underestimating your workforce

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

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diversity struggles bumble innovation simone van neerven

If you struggle with diversity, check the innovation team (like Bumble did)

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

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