Before we dive into that, let’s share how we got into Trinidad and Tobago in the first place. It is a story of circumstance and opportunity. In brief, Frans meets someone who is Trinidadian. She happens to have an entrepreneur friend who was involved in a trade conference in Trinidad and Tobago. This friend invites Frans down to speak. Representatives from the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) hear Frans talk and are inspired. How can they incorporate the Medici approach into their work? They bring The Medici Group back, and we train them in our approach. Fast-forward three years…and our team heads back this month to Trinidad and Tobago to see how we could apply our intersectional thinking approach to transform an entire country.

In preparation for this trip, we dug into Trinidad and Tobago as much as we could. One of the first things we learned (from Wikipedia, where else) was that Trinidad and Tobago is the birthplace of the steelpan, calypso, soca, chutney and the limbo. These alone speak to the vast and complex diversity of Trinidad and Tobago: an instrument made from 55-gallon oil drums; a musical form fusing West African beats with the French troubadour tradition; and add to that Indian instruments such as the dholak, tabla and dhantal and you have soca. In addition to these cultural exports, Trinidad and Tobago’s food scene has been described as “revelatory, a culinary mash-up of the very first order.” It is an intersection of culinary traditions, largely due to its history (of slavery and indentured servitude; Spanish, Dutch, Courlander and British colonialism; a generous immigration policy dating from the late 1700s; and the arrival of Martinquan colonialists during the French Revolution).

From a cultural, musical and culinary perspective, it appears that Trinidadians have long been innovators. Given this innovation heritage and an abundance of natural resources, what more can be done for Trinidad and Tobago in terms of development?

The short answer is, a lot more. But that is true of every nation, whether it’s of the first or third world. For Trinidad and Tobago, being resource-rich has been both a boon and drawback. Boon for the obvious reasons but a drawback in that the country has not had a historic need to significantly develop other industries outside of energy. Though the country is a leading supplier of manufactured goods and cement to the rest of the Caribbean, this by no means compares to being the leading supplier of liquefied natural gas to the United States.

The country’s heavy reliance on this sector is beginning to shift. Global demand and the recent recession have already had an impact, and there’s no predicting what could happen over the next 20 or even 10 years. If Trinidad and Tobago truly wants to establish a strong culture of innovation that would help drive new industries, it needs to harness its diversity and encourage collaboration between its many groups—political, social, economic, cultural.

Just two years ago, the government unveiled the Centre for Enterprise Development. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning, Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, communicated an ambitious vision for the island nation: “The aim is to create prosperity for all, with the right infrastructure, support base and technology.” The country understands the importance of innovation in the modern economy and is looking at its diversity and the resources as a starting point.

This is where we believe intersectional thinking can make a difference.

The post At the Intersection with Trinidad and Tobago appeared first on Intersections.

Think about it. When was the last time Yahoo delivered an innovation on par with the iPhone, iPad, Google Nexus, Amazon Web Services, or Netflix? It isn’t for a lack of trying. Yahoo! spends money acquiring “the next big thing”. A lot of it.

• Delicious – $15-20 million
• GeoCities – $4 billion
• Flickr – $35 million

Delicious “languished unattended” and was sold for $5 million a few years later. GeoCtities was “perhaps the most epic failure in Yahoo’s portfolio” and was shut down 10 years after it was acquired. Flickr could have become a combination of Instagram and Shutterstock, instead Yahoo focused on profitability from day one urging the team to “focus on integration, not innovation.” Gizmodo claimed this decision lost Yahoo the internet, and only this week did Yahoo overhaul the site to, as Yahoo CEO has been quoted saying, make Flickr “awesome again.” Keyword, again. Could have been “awesome” the whole of the last eight years.

To be fair, sometimes acquisitions are intended to take out a would-be competitor, with no intention of investing further in it. And of course, strategies change, with an impact on priorities. But Yahoo’s continued acquisition point to something arguably deeper: a poor innovation culture.

With online advertising taking off big time in mid-2000s, then Yahoo CEO Terry Semel, a Hollywood Executive with “a reputation as a no-nonsense businessman with an eye for the big picture and a Rolodex filled with Hollywood contacts,” had a big vision. He brought in former CNET Editor Dan Rosensweig as COO to hold “individuals accountable for the profitability of their divisions.” This allowed Semel to focus on turning Yahoo into digital media powerhouse; going so far as to hire former ABC executive Lloyd Braun (who, by the way, greenlit Lost and got fired over it) to lead the charge into video. We know how both turned out. Last time I checked, Netflix had revolutionized that space.

Semel’s tenure also coincided with the rise of Google. In fact, he flat out dismissed Google as an acquisition for $1 million (apparently, Yahoo had already won the search wars), then went on acquire Inktomi for $235 million—a search rival that Yahoo had dropped as its search backend in favor of Google in 2000. (Confused? We are, too, but I digress.)

Google is arguably one of the most innovative companies on the planet. It’s hard to imagine now, but in 2005 both Yahoo and Google were, more or less, neck and neck and often compared. When it came to innovating products, Semel introduced an “Idea Factory”—a nice euphemism for a glorified suggestion box. Meanwhile, Google mandated that employees spent at least 1 day a week working on their own projects, leading to innovations such as Gmail, Google News, and energy efficient vehicles. ABC News called it “some of the most productive time spent at this company.” Google found the secret formula to a culture of organic innovation: a relentless focus on innovation first but always keeping an eye on the bottom line.

In contrast, Yahoo’s focus on the bottom line has led to the downfall of nearly all their acquisitions. And they know it. In their press release announcing the Tumblr acquisition, they promised to not “screw it up”. For their sake, let’s hope not.

Image via Flickr

The post Memo to Yahoo: Focus on Innovation appeared first on Intersections.

One key to constant innovation is developing the smallest executable step. You may ask yourself, “What is a smallest executable step?” It’s the thing you can do today that tests a few assumptions about your idea. It should cost little to no money, less reputation, and most importantly be able to fail. Why does it need to fail?

So you can tell if your idea is on the right track.

Ideas and strategies are a dime a dozen, and it’s naive to think we can predict which one will be successful—especially when you are starting out. That is why you need to conserve as many resources as you can. When Apple begins work on a new product they develop 10 prototypes and select the best one. This means that 90% of Apple’s projects fail internally. Since they are internal failures it doesn’t hurt Apple.

Let’s examine the rise of Tyler Perry and his first attempt at breaking into the entertainment industry. Earlier we wrote about how he used repeated purposeful bets to launch a massively lucrative career. In the end it was his passion that drove him, but he’s also faced an incredible amount of hardship—much of which could have been eliminated if he followed an SES approach.

Perry wanted to become a playwright. He wrote a play, rented a 1,200-seat theatre, and covered the town with advertisements. “I thought 1,200 people would see it over a weekend,” he later told Oprah. Instead thirty people came to the opening performance. Think about that for a moment. On his first attempt at a play he invested $12,000 and sold less than 3 percent of the tickets. It failed. He was not only out $12,000 but homeless as well.

In the end Perry’s passion led to his success, but there are far more entrepreneurial stories that end in defeat.

Here’s a look at different SES approaches Perry could have taken to test the underlying assumptions of his idea, while minimizing any risk he had.

• Perry was heavily involved in the church. Asking the local minister to use the church on an off night would be a perfect test of his source material.
• Reach out to a local theatre group to find actors.
• Perform portions of the play for different community groups—building buzz and connections in the process.
• Perform an established play first to test the community’s willingness to pay top dollar for live entertainment.
• Workshop the play at a local theatre school.

If you were to develop a play today, what would you do to get the ball rolling?

Image Via Flickr

The post Innovation 101: Imagining Tyler Perry’s Smallest Executable Step appeared first on Intersections.

At 1 PM EST Frans will discuss “The Click Moment” his latest book, which argues that today success isn’t the result of careful planning or strategy, but is far more random than we like to believe.

A perfect example of this is one of the biggest events of the last century: The fall of the Soviet Union.

In May 1983 Mikhail Gorbachev visited Canada on an agricultural trade mission. His host was Alexander Yakovlev, a former high ranking official who was sent to Canada after writing reports critical of the Communist Party. At the time Gorbachev was the Soviet equivalent of the Secretary of Agriculture and was touring Canada with the Canadian Secretary of Agriculture Eugene Whelan. The three were set to have dinner at Whelan’s home.

The Toronto Star explained:

“Gorbachev had arrived in Ottawa on May 16, where he met Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The dinner a few days later at Whelan’s farm was meant to be a friendly supper that would show Gorbachev how his Canadian counterpart lived.”

Like most political trips of the era it was carefully staged and there was no real time to connect with the people on the ground. That was until random chance got in the way. The Toronto Star continued:

But Whelan was running hours late, delayed in Ottawa. So it fell to Elizabeth (His Wife) to greet the delegates as they arrived at the Whelan home, a split-level farmhouse on 350 acres overlooking the Detroit River.

“I don’t remember what I said, but I know I was polite,” remembers Elizabeth. “They (Gorbachev and Yakovlev) were glad to be here but they wanted to go for a walk. They asked if they could go somewhere alone. I said ‘Sure, you can go for a walk in the yard. There’s no one out there.’”

Takovlev was a party dissident, who had lived in Canada long enough to realize the weaknesses in the Soviet agriculture system. He also had plenty of ideas on how to change them.

It turns out that this walk was the click moment Gorbachev needed.

The Windsor Star recalled:

As the two men strolled along a laneway that bordered crops of corn and soybeans, Gorbachev, then secretary of agriculture, remarked on how much more productive Canadian farming was compared to the Soviet system.

“We’re so far behind,” Gorbachev said.

“I have so many ideas that can help us catch up,” replied Yakovlev.

Their tete-a-tete in the relative seclusion of Whelan’s backyard not only planted the seeds of a friendship, but the strategy that would set Russia on the course toward democracy.

Days later Gorbachev returned to the Soviet Union. Within a few weeks he would bring Yakovlev. In 1985 he was the General Secretary of the Communist Party. By 1991 the Soviet Union was no more.

No strategy or analysis could have predicted that.

Image via Flickr

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The problem isn’t just moral or ethical, but has massive implications for innovation and the bottom line. Today women control 65 percent of global spending, and the World Bank estimates that by 2014 their share of income will rise by $5 trillion. “Companies need women,” said Avivah Wittenberg-Cox the author of Why Women Mean Business, “and those that find a way to reach these consumers will prosper, while those that don’t will fall behind.”

Both Sandburg and Slaughter have different perceptions on what causes the discrepancy. According to Time Magazine, “Sandburg enjoins women to pursue their careers with more rigor, to engage more energetically in the corporate cook-off…” In essence, she argues that it’s a matter of confidence and personal choice that is holding women back. Slaughter disagrees. “I fear that the obstacles that keep women from reaching the top are rather more prosaic than the scope of their ambition.” She cites a rigid and obsolete work schedule as the primary culprit.

I don’t necessarily feel qualified to talk about the subject–after all, I’m not a woman nor am I a mom. But Lily Tang, The Medici Group’s Chief Learning Strategist, is both. Few people have had a more diverse or successful career than Lily.  An art major in college, she holds both a Ph.D. and an MBA. She’s managed organizational development across four continents, and with The Medici Group, she’s consulted on six continents. She’s been a professor of developmental psychology, a business journalist at Forbes, and CEO of an Asian food service and distribution company.

In the course of all this, she also raised two daughters. Earlier in the year I talked to Lily about how being a mother later translated to the boardroom. Since Mother’s Day is this weekend, we thought it was a great time to reignite the conversation.

(The interview has been edited down for clarity)

How did the skills you learned in a professional setting translate to motherhood, and then later in business?

There is a great transference. As a parent you have to bring almost everything to the table: Your education, your history, your legacy. The same thing holds true as a leader. Molding young minds and young bodies is just like molding an organization. In both cases you evolve and grow as the child grows or product matures.

I think the question is not, “Is there a transfer of skills?” But rather, “How do we make sure moms understand and leverage that? How do we make sure that hiring managers understand this?”

Why do you think most companies and hiring managers haven’t adopted this mindset?

People are still embedded into the 1950s choices for a woman: being a homemaker or a professional. Some women do it very well, but my generation was the transitional generation. We tried to do both, and I think we are [only?] starting to figure it out. My daughter once said publicly: “My mom has had a lot of success in everything she’s done but she hasn’t tried to do it all at the same time.”

I think this is very important. Women who spend time in the workplace can now see how those skills translate into parenthood and then back into the workplace. It’s just unreasonable to expect to do them in unison.

Can you think of a specific trait that you feel really transferred?

I don’t have a specific answer for that, but a general one. I think that it’s important to admit that you don’t know everything there is to know. I’m learning just as much as my child, just as much as my employee, and just as much as my company.

This isn’t to say that I dislike structure. I like structure and I like being able to bring that structure in. But I don’t like having to have that structure imposed when it doesn’t fit or when it’s not the best way to approach it. The “my way or the highway” doesn’t work any more.

What advice would you give companies competing for best talent and need the talent of young women who are also interested in having families?

Young women today have choices. New York magazine recently ran an article titled the “Feminist Housewife” which profiled a distinct segment of well-educated, gifted young women who are opting out of the workplace and leaning into parenting. Whether a woman chooses to stay home or be active in the workplace, companies who want to engage this pool of enormous talent have to be prepared to offer women choices –when, where, and how they work.

The old model of a world of work created for men by men is great for the many values men and women have in common. It does not address the ways we are different. Companies have to figure out how to make work more rewarding and personal. Then, women will have something to be energized about and investing in.

The CEO of Kimberly Clark Tom Falk goes out of his way to recruit young women who are also mothers. They are efficient and effective, he opined recently. They have a lot on their plate and they do it all by giving it their all. Kimberly Clark is consistently named as one of the best multinational workplaces by the Great Places to Work Institute.

Readers: What do you think? What skills does parenthood bring to the boardroom?

The post Transitioning from Stay-at-home to the Boardroom. appeared first on Intersections.

1)    Innovation is Everywhere

One of the most exciting aspects of working with The Medici Group is that I have been challenged to think differently ever day. My primary responsibility was researching and writing intersectional and innovative stories for the firm. Through this research, my eyes opened to countless new technologies and innovations that I didn’t know existed. In the past three months I’ve learned how Zara is reversing assumptions in the clothing industry, how an Iranian-American is using math to potentially cure infectious diseases, and countless other stories that have challenged my mentality. Each week I discovered countless new case studies that inspired me to think outside my own culture and field, challenge the assumptions in my life, and most importantly account for change and failure along the way.

2)    Applying Intersectional Thinking

I knew the minute I stepped foot in The Medici Group’s office that I would be surrounded by passionate, inspiring individuals to work alongside and learn from. It also dawned on me that my experience as a Research Intern here would be quite different from the life of an intern at a typical firm. My first day as an intern was not spent behind a computer in the office, but at a school in Harlem observing a strategy session. I watched as my supervisors worked with the faculty at the charter school to think differently about the resources within their community and school. I gathered countless new insights, and even had the opportunity to assist. It was great to see the faculty leave the workshop with innovative goals in which they were excited about, and small steps they could take to reach those goals.

Although my internship consists of a full work day on Mondays each week, I was invited to another workshop with The Haitian Round Table on a Thursday evening. This time I brainstormed with members of HRT on how they can implement innovative ideas and garner acclaim for the rising community.

These two workshops have been eye-opening opportunities for my own growth and experience. These opportunities have helped me understand that by looking outside your culture, field, or industry, you can combine ideas that will have the greatest impact. I learned that unpredictability will always play a role in your career path, and that seizing opportunities when they are in front of you is crucial.

3)    Professional Development

Looking back on my internship experience at The Medici Group, I cannot help but feel grateful to the opportunities that have been given to me. I was able to sharpen my research, writing, time management, and communication skills. I continue to learn the value of prioritization, taking action, the utilization of resources, and that asking too many questions is always better than asking too few.

I discovered that my passion truly lies in combatting international issues affecting women and children’s rights, as well as human rights and international law. I will be working in a law firm starting in June and then applying to law school next fall. As marketing assistant at the law firm, I will be writing daily blogs and monthly newsletters as well as handling communication with clients and prospects. I am excited to take what I have learned from my colleagues and apply those skills in my future professional life. The team at The Medici Group truly encourages individual growth and making the most out of opportunities. There are a myriad of opportunities around us every day—you just have to be courageous enough to take the first step.

The post 3 Things I Learned Interning at The Medici Group appeared first on Intersections.

When we first started talking with our Chief of Strategy Pamela Carlton about joining The Medici Group, she had just established a partnership with Corporate Culcha through her executive and organizational leadership firm Springboard – Partners in Cross Cultural Leadership. Corporate Culcha is a majority Indigenous-owned firm engaged in Indigenous workforce training and leadership development for major corporate and governmental clients. In the last year, our team has traveled twice Down Under to mobilize Corporate Culcha as our exclusive, certified partner in the Australian market. Next month’s roadshow is our ‘coming out party,’ if you will, with Corporate Culcha to corporate Australia. We see Australia’s Diversity & Inclusion journey mirroring that in the U.S., if only 10 years behind. Australia’s population of just under 23 million may be a fraction of the U.S. population, but it is diverse and vibrant, with a growing immigrant population. Add in the Indigenous Australian population that is increasingly becoming integrated into mainstream Australian business and society…And now you see why we’re so excited to be with Corporate Culcha in Australia.

We sat down with Vanessa Ring, Corporate Culcha’s Operations Manager, to learn more about the company, their work and the state of diversity, inclusion and cultural awareness in Australia.

How did Corporate Culcha start?

Prior to starting Corporate Culcha, our CEO Paul Dodd and Principal Facilitators Russell Logan and John Briggs all worked for government organizations for over 20 years each in the areas of Indigenous health, employment, economic development and cultural awareness.

Five or six years ago they identified a major gap in providing services in these areas to corporate Australia, which was crying out for expertise and advice in how to develop successful Indigenous Employment strategies and in turn help them to fulfill their corporate social responsibility to Indigenous Australia. The trio felt that by developing an engaging, non-confrontational, but informative and interactive workshop suite of products, they would be able to fulfill a need that nobody else seemed to be filling. The products they developed target different levels within a corporate structure, from customer relations and front-line staff all the way to executives and board level groups.

Paul, Russell and John all took a leap of faith, leaving their safe, salaried jobs to open a small office on the beach near Coolangatta in Queensland, and gradually began to build their client base. Business has been built from referral and reputation return, which has led to long-term client relationships with companies.

What is something that might surprise a non-Australian about diversity in Australia?

Australia is an extremely diverse and multi-cultural country, but steeped in colonial history and traditions. Whilst modern and progressive, we sometimes find it hard to break free from our colonial past.

Why is Diversity and Inclusion important for corporate Australia? Why has this been a challenge to date?

Australia is obviously a multi-cultural society and while many workplaces are already culturally diverse, corporate Australia needs help to understand how a diverse workforce can improve a business’ bottom line. The Diversity Council of Australia’s Cultural Diversity Director explains: “A culturally diverse workforce adds to a business’ bottom line through improved performance, innovation and access to new markets. Understanding and nurturing this cultural diversity as well as stamping out racism are critical to harnessing the benefits.” In effect, we need to encourage organizations to not just consider Diversity and Inclusion in terms of recruitment and development/advancement of staff, but also to understand how to manage diversity effectively from within and to use it to the advantage of the business.

The challenges are around breaking down established thinking in regard to recruitment and retention of workforces as a whole. We’re traditionally a little way behind the rest of the world in the diversity arena, even though we are a multi-cultural nation (represented by over 200 different nationalities). Our tendency to lag in matters relating to human resources management in general can be attributed to our geographic location and relatively small population size compared to America and many European and Asian nations. But we are a dynamic and progressive society, ready to listen, learn and practice!

How do you convince someone that Indigenous Inclusion in the workplace is good for business?

It’s hard to beat highlighting the facts and figures to communicate this particular important message. The statistics speak for the benefits to business and to the country in terms of the economics (which, let’s face it, is important to catch the attention of industry and government). Money spent on Indigenous employment and retention in the workplace means money saved to the government which in turn affects national GDP in a positive way.

What are some examples of diversity and cultural awareness programs or training courses you have done for Australian corporations, organizations, or government entities?

Our core business is conducting face-to-face Indigenous Cultural Diversity training courses, but the more work we do with clients, particularly our regular clients, the more it leads us towards the area of Diversity and Inclusion in respect of all minority groups in Australia.

With each new client we will usually start with the delivery of what we call an ‘Executive Entrée’ to the Board or managing executives. This is a short, sharp presentation which provides a stimulating introduction to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander philosophy, culture and history, and creates a base from which to explore leadership in particular, the business case across the organization, employment strategies, and service delivery.

From here we develop a targeted cultural diversity program incorporating both face-to-face cultural awareness training to key staff groups, and online training. We may also determine the need for Indigenous Mentoring training, which we facilitate.

Russell Logan and Paul Dodd of Corporate Culcha

How has Corporate Culcha been able to innovate in the Diversity, Inclusion and Cultural Awareness arena?

The Culcha Portal! We have developed and built a web portal to provide a range of services to our clients. Our online Indigenous Cultural Awareness training program provides video-on-demand modules, which can be viewed by staff and save them valuable time and money in providing information in respect of Indigenous history, culture, and strategies for moving forward. We use this as a means to provide information to users prior to having them participate in a live ‘wash-up’ session which allows interactive discussions between clients and our experienced facilitators to develop strategies for the future engagement in respect of Indigenous employees and communities.

Success has come from our ability to customize our products by integrating the clients’ internal initiatives and strategies and tailoring to different levels in the structure of the business.

Also, we are now fortunate enough to be working with The Medici Group’s Springboard Practice to develop more products in respect of Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. Our Indigenous Cultural Awareness training modules have been well received by our clients and the public, and we want to expand our video-on-demand library with Diversity and Inclusion modules and, eventually co-develop with The Medici Group, an innovation module as well.

What major gains have the indigenous and aboriginal communities achieved as a result of the work of Corporate Culcha?

Without assuming too much, we like to think that we do shift people’s thinking a little once they’ve had a chance to experience our Cultural Awareness workshops. That’s what our feedback suggests anyway. Many of our clients are surprised at how little they know about the Aboriginal history of Australia, and our workshops help them understand the plight of Indigenous people in Australia and why they should be supported into employment. Our programs are designed to expand thinking and understanding about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, their history and contemporary issues; and to facilitate understanding between staff and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

This deeper understanding directly leads to improvements in retention of Indigenous employees, and helps to create a mutually congenial workplace. Greater retention of Indigenous employees helps Aboriginal communities develop economic independence.

Any thoughts or products in development to promote tech and innovation to the indigenous and aboriginal youth?

We are using what we’ve learned and developed for corporate Australia and adapting it for the classrooms of Australian school children. Our online cultural awareness training will be targeted to all ages of school children in Australia. We are working with experienced and enthusiastic teachers to develop a product that will be engaging for children and help provide positive outcomes in regard to relationships and learnings between Indigenous youth, their teachers and classmates.

The post Diverse and multicultural Australia appeared first on Intersections.

• English isn’t the only language spoken. Though a former British colony, over 200 languages and dialects are spoken. 45 of these are indigenous to the continent. The rest include large concentrations of Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Mandarin speakers.

• The second largest Greek population outside of Greece isn’t in Italy, New York or Chicago, but Melbourne. In 2006, about 150,000 people traced their heritage to Athens making it the second largest collection of Greeks outside of Greece (the first being Greece’s neighbor Cyprus).

• According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “Australia is a product of a unique blend of established traditions and new influences. The country’s original inhabitants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, are the custodians of one of the world’s oldest continuing cultural traditions… They have been living in Australia for at least 40,000 years and possibly up to 60,000 years.” On January 26, the country celebrates Australia Day, a celebration of the country and diversity and tolerance in Australian society. Recent efforts have been made to embrace all ethnic backgrounds, racial differences and political viewpoints. Our partner, Corporate Culcha is an indigenous-owned and operated company that works with corporations and government organizations in fulfilling these ideals.

• Kangaroos aren’t just amazing animals. They are food. About 15 percent of Australians regularly eat the large marsupial. Reportedly, it is a tender, healthier alternative to beef, featuring a fat content of 1-2 percent. Our team is still on the fence about it.

• In 1902 Australia became the second country in the world to give women the right to vote. This tradition of progressive ideals has continued with the normalization of same sex unions in 2009.

Image via Flickr

The post 5 Cool Facts You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Australia appeared first on Intersections.

It wasn’t always this way; at one time innovation was synonymous with transportation in this country. The growth was staggering and the results were as well. Continental America spans nearly 3.2 million square miles. In 1830, only 75 miles of railroad track decorated the landscape. Just 30 years later, that number reached 29,000 miles, and ballooned to nearly 90,000 two decades later. The Interstate Highway System came next, becoming the most expensive public works project since the pyramids. But as we charge ahead into the 21st century our transportation infrastructure hasn’t kept pace.

The world isn’t the same as it was in 1900 or 1950. Lush budget surpluses are gone, replaced with constricting budgets and political roadblocks. This doesn’t mean infrastructure innovation or renewed development isn’t possible; it might just look different. They can be as simple as programs that encouraging carpooling. Today about 10 percent of workers carpool, and 40 percent of those ride with someone they know. Unfortunately carpooling means you must know someone who works in a similar area to you, which isn’t always possible. Since the 1970s San Francisco’s Casual Carpool has designated “pick up” spots for individuals looking to carpool. The program has predetermined pick up and drop off sports, but riders and drivers have no idea who their partners will be. In a way it functions like a subway, but without a train.

Other innovations are interesting because they tell us about transportation behavior. Cities like London, Singapore, and Stockholm charge motorists extra to drive on crowded roads at peak times. This is called congestion pricing and operates on the assumption that financial penalties will influence behavior. But what if you reverse this assumption? What if you reward drivers to drive during off peak times? Researchers at Stanford University have devised a program to enter off peak drivers in regular lotteries to win $50. “The program has proved so popular,” wrote the New York Times, “that it is to be expanded soon to also cover parking.”

While both of these programs are interesting, one would be hard pressed to call them transformational. Why? They draw inspiration from the same general industry. At The Medici Group we believe that random intersections are one of the best ways to create great innovation. Using randomness as a source of inspiration forces us to think differently about our ideas.

If we apply a completely different concept, say American Idol, to Public Transportation, what would we have? Perhaps we could build customized buses or subway cars. For example, a bus that heads to a shopping area would include extra room for shopping bags, and one that heads to a business district would have access to wi-fi and workspace. Add another random concept such as Lady Gaga to the conversation and we could make the cost of public transportation completely transparent. How did we arrive at this? Our thinking was, Lady Gaga is known for her extravagance, but if you strip her down to the bare basics she is incredibly talented. Imagine if small labels dotted every part of the bus or subway (seats, rails) letting riders know where their tax dollars went. (Throw in a small poster detailing the labor cost.) Perhaps next time it won’t be so hard to raise funds.

Now it is your turn. Think about carpooling and what it means to you. Next, look around the room and write down the first five things you see. Then combine those ideas with the idea of carpooling. What do you develop? Comment below or tweet your ideas @TheMediciGroup

Now remember, these are all just ideas, and ideas mean nothing unless there is action. What could you do to get this started—today. If this blog post taught you one thing it should be that transportation innovation doesn’t need to be costly; it just needs to be creative.

The post Innovation in the Transportation System appeared first on Intersections.

Germany’s Model Stresses Execution Over Innovation – Ben Rooney

Copycats are everywhere. It’s why we believe that any business strategy should incorporate some aspect of randomness. The minute you logically develop a new product or idea, you can bet your competitor will come to a similar conclusion. In 2010 Apple released the iPad, a product that ushered in a new and unexpected era in computing. Within a year 64 companies followed suit with 102 competing tablets. A recent Wall Street Journal article outlined how Germany is embracing this mindset within entrepreneurialism—choosing to copy rather than innovate. “We are able to launch within 3 1/2 weeks,” Alexander Kudlich, the managing director of Rocket Internet told the author, “It’s only about operationally doing every little thing right and faster and better than the others.” It’s well worth a read.

Tuition at Learn-to-Code Boot Camp Is Free — Until You Get a Job – Marcus Wohlsen

Most people consider innovation a shiny new product—an iPhone or Google Glass. But innovation often takes different forms that we never even consider. A school that is free until you get a job is one of them.

The Origin of Human Creativity Was Surprisingly Complex – Heather Pringle

A very readable and interesting look into how we evolved the capability to innovate. I’ll give you a quick primer: involved billions of interactions, a changing culture and the complex forces of nature.

The post How to be Innovative: The Top 3 Innovation Articles of March 2013 appeared first on Intersections.