added Value creation

Why only Value with a capital? Because that is the central word here. The fact that we want to add value means we have to create more then there already is and sometimes need to create it from scratch. This is always a joined effort and to make value creation sustainable, sustainability needs to be part of the process of value creation.

Why now? Because we have just had an enjoyable round table and I want the next one to be fantastic. We talked about valuable concepts, shared valuable experiences, engaged in the proces of innovation and interacted as a diverse group of people genuinely interested in each other. In a sense priceless, but we are all still searching for answers when it comes to how to innovate and work together. That's why I used the word enjoyable.

Where we succeeded was in creating an atmosphere of trust and sharing ideas, where we failed was in the combination of focus and engagement and therefore sustainability. We talked about high level concepts that did not paint a rosy future and are not easy to connect to daily life, depending on concept, part of the audience reacted and part took a leave of mental absence. Then we went into a session that explained all about innovation and only when we started putting it into practice did people really engage and it almost became a chicken run. Fun to see, and we should have started doing that sooner.

Were we failed, was not in our setting of the stage, not in our thinking, it was not in our sincerity or in the selection of people present, actually, that is what made the day fun. What we should have done better is engage people in telling stories and add value to each others story that each of us can take home and use to improve our lives. Storytelling is a powerful means of creating value. It touches things we recognize and engage with, it makes it easier to learn things and it makes you want to add your own experiences to the story. In the end it will not be his story or her story, it will be ours. Then and only then will we all start to actively spread the message by retelling the story and engaging other people.

We have three to four months to prepare for the next one, so we'll do our best to put what I just said into practice and have a fantastic third round table! If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to leave a comment.