I have a confession to make. I have never watched a single episode of Game of Thrones. I would rather be watching some of the stimulating ideas from TED Talks that are captured on video and the “RSA Shorts” presentations of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in Great Britain. The RSA Shorts videos are less than five minutes each. Surely you have time to try out one or two.
Today I would like to share with you my latest recommendations from RSA Shorts, the first two of which come from Simon Sinek, who has been mentioned previously in this blog.
In his video Intensity vs. Consistency, Sinek challenges the tendency in companies to try to solve problems with a “Blitzkrieg” of urgent activity. Are yoi sick of endless ‘re-orgs’, lay-offs and away days? Why do workplaces always go for quick wins and flashy paint jobs over steady, consistent change? Watch this witty extract from Simon Sinek’s acclaimed RSA talk on organizational culture. (Click here). (3:27)
Then Sinek attacks a totally different subject in another video. He makes the case for the much-maligned millennial generation, and suggests ways we can harness their unique abilities for the common good. The millennial, or ‘jilted’ generation make up a quarter of the population in many developed countries, and yet they are frequently derided as narcissistic, tech-dependent and lazy. But are these epithets fair? They are the first generation to do worse than their parents, and many graduated into a climate of joblessness, extortionate housing costs, and instability. Have a look: (Click here) (2:13)
Next we turn to the topic of creativity. What does it take to come up with a new idea? Award-winning mathematician Cédric Villani reveals the seven key ingredients that come together to create breakthrough moments in human knowledge and innovation. (Click here) (3:35)
Keeping with this theme, Matthew Taylor asks the question ”How can more people turn their ideas in to reality?” The 21st century presents us with huge challenges. How can we empower people to be active participants in creating a world we want to live in? Taylor, chief executive of the RSA, offers a vision for the future - a world where every individual has the freedom and opportunity to develop their unique capabilities to the full. (click here) (4:15)
And finally, author Susan Cain addresses the power of quiet. You may have read about her in a previous post in this blog when her book first came out. She shines a spotlight on introverts and reveals how over time our society has come to look to extroverts as leaders. Not suggesting that one is better than the other, Susan argues that the world needs an equal space between introverts and extroverts; that an innovative, creative world wouldn’t be the same without the two coming together. The world is full of noise and those that are the loudest are the ones we tend to follow but what about the quiet ones? (Click here) (2:48)
All of these short videos are designed to trigger new ideas in your brain. I hope you find them inspiring.
