Feb 1, 201913 min read

The Fresh Catch Of The Month

Updated: Feb 21, 2020

Market Watch - Veille Informationnelle

Issue #8- May 2019

The Case for Eliciting Mindful Creativity

Art by Lonfeldt @ Unsplash

May turned out wildly creative across our entire work-flow and we really love that !

On the side, to pump up my flow I enrolled for the "30 days of Genius" free video series offered by "Creative Live", a successful and inclusive educational platform designed to "inspire and support people with the tools to develop their creative skills". A great experience which lead me to discover more of the valuable material made available freely by the platform. A lot lives there !

According to CreativeLive founder, Chase Jarvis, "There's a common misconception that artists have a monopoly on creativity. But the very act of making something - shooting a photograph, designing a product, thinking critically, or building a business - is a creative one.These small actions come from our unique inner impulse to create. In this free video series, you'll learn about the big thinking and breakthroughs that allowed these geniuses to break the mold.They'll share their successes and failures, and turn them into actionable insights for you.The goal of this interview series is not to turn everyone into a super-achiever. 30 Days of Genius is lightweight and helpful, designed to help you recognize your passions and achieve your goals."

I felt drawn to making a short video recapping some of the thoughts I have been playing with as a result :

For more of our videos visit our You Tube channel

Some other Ideas worth sharing :

Creativity plays a role every step of the way when taking on project : First you need to come up with an Idea for a project, then get an Idea for the process that will transform the project's concept into a material outcome. Finally, find an Idea for how to make yourself accountable so that you stick to progress your project through the highs and lows that will come up - until completion (hint : get a coach!)
Creative and entrepreneurial types exhibit similarities in their main traits (mindsets). Common patterns essentially gravitate around tolerance for risk and uncertainty (resilience, embracing a non-linear course); commitment (consistency & practice) to completion (action taking); openness to exploration and curiosity (experimentation); finding their community of people (belonging and trust) as well as serving a higher purpose (bigger then themselves) with the willingness to step out of their comfort zone (face their fears) in order to be fully expressed through their creation for the world
Building on top of legacy is a serious burden in the creative process; that's where you meet with resistance from the status quo incumbents. That's also how you end up with incremental, marginal changes instead of meaningful "creative - by design" alternatives
Digital (Technology) is eating the world and The robots (Automation) are coming - If People are to use AI and AR/VR as powerful tools - yet only tools - dedicated to enhancing their capacities, jobs, industries and lives; our societies need to design for "Humans". Creativity ought to be human-centric . Finally, whereas Education's efforts are often geared towards the fields of technology there is a case for putting more emphasis on Humanities in Education

Resources :

I learnt that the term Scenius means: Collective Genius

“Scenius” – is the intelligence of a whole – let’s forget the idea of “genius” for a little while, let’s think about the whole ecology of ideas that give rise to good new thoughts and good new work. - Brian Eno . “Scenius” is a term coined by musician and producer Brian Eno to counter “The Lone Genius Myth,” or the idea that innovation in art and culture comes from a few Great Chosen Ones.
Seth Godin shares his take on what it means to be a Genius — Being a Genius Vs Having Genius, Akimbo Podcast
Greg Brandeau, former CTO at Pixar and Disney who works with startups co-authored Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation — shares his take on the relationship between Leadership and Creativity

What I am reading, Listening to

Seth Godin on How to Say “No,” Market Like a Professional, and Win at Life (#343) ― Tim Feriss Show
Steal Like an Artist ― Book by Austin Kleon

The Algebra of Happiness and a Dose of Reality ― Scott Galloway
Seth Godin on Suppleness ― Akimbo Podcast
Scaling Your Startup, “Fundraising: Diving into the Details” with Jason Calacanis & LAUNCH Managing Directors Ashley Whitehurst & Jason Demant —E7 of 10-episodes miniseries
Canva CEO & Co-Founder Melanie Perkins shares insights from growing her Australian college startup into a global unicorn & realizing her vision to be one of the world’s most valuable companies, doing the most good one can do ― This Week in Startups
Isaac Asimov Asks, “How Do People Get New Ideas ? ― MIT Technology Review
Why you should start a Side Project ― What do Craigslist and Albert Einstein have in common? Their big idea started as a side project
Resonance: How to Open Doors For Other People ― Farnam Street
Decoding Difficult Conversations: Interview with Negotiation Expert, Sheila Heen [The Knowledge Project Ep. #57] ― Farnam Street
What It Takes to Make People Care About Your Work with Margo Aaron ― Unmistakable Creative podcast

Quotes I am pondering

In the Particular is contained the universal - James Joy

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist ― Pablo Picasso
If you copy from one book, that’s plagiarism; if you copy from many books, that’s research ― Wallace Notestein
Creativity is the new literacy ― Chase Jarvis
Confidence is impressive, enthusiasm is contagious ― Tina Roth Eisenberg
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times ― Bruce Lee
Practice till you Embody it (instead of the oh so popular : Fake it till you make it) ― Amanda Blake
Some people are more certain of everything than I am of anything ― Robert Rubin

Follow us for more

Information about the usual favorite topics of our early-stage entrepreneurs and career-transitioning intra-preneurs is curated on our Facebook and Twitter accounts- Follow us !. We diligently scout the most singular and valuable pieces of information & tips from our networks and carefully piece the data together so as to deliver the exclusive insights our members are looking for. Check us out regularly as we put up new relevant and time sensitive content daily. Our May content is full insights and opportunities !

Need more support sifting through the realm of possibilities ? consult with us. We can strategize & design together your selective approach for personalized insights.

Issue #7- April 2019

Dreaming our way through complexity

This month I attended a virtual 2 weeks-long diverse international event (the Coaching Summit) where the world of coaching comes together to share, learn about what is emerging and collectively grow. It was refreshing to reconnect to the essence of my coaching practice, go back to the roots of why I do this work and revisit how to best serve the clients we partner with, using the cutting edge tools and methods available in social sciences.

This is what arose for me after diving deep into that grounding and creative space again. The diagram below appeared in my mind's eye. It depicts (in a somewhat simplistic manner) the elemental dimensions most coaches work with, most of the time, regardless of the specific coaching methods they are trained in - Individual and/or Group coaching, Somatic, Body Work, Integral Psychology, Mindfulness, Deep coaching, Presence - Based Coaching, Sports coaching etc ... Leadership coaching, Relationship coaching , Corporate Coaching, Life Coaching etc... - and any other technical hard-skill they may have developed over a diverse professional experience - in my** case that would include Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Financial Services, whilst others may bring their expertise in Healthcare, Sports, HR, etc .... to bear in their coaching practices.

I smiled when I realized my first blog-posts (on the topics of Fear,Trust and Resilience) were premises to that simplified meta - model. Since sketching it out, I have been thinking about the Complexity and Dreams pieces of the puzzle which I address hereafter, in further details.

Complexity

The current globalization context induces hyper-connected environments with uninterrupted multi-lateral interactions which create noise and impact leaders and their decision making process. Uncertainty (unpredictability) and constantly moving parts make the exercise of leadership and decision making particularly edgy.

Jennifer Garvey Berger's inspiring work around "Leadership mind-traps" explains how Pattern recognition, Monitoring of interactions, Interconnections and Dynamics (ie : seeing more of the system) have become the most adapted solutions to avoid falling in those complex-world traps. She also identifies leading from a higher purpose as well as remaining connected to body and emotions (integral / holistic approach) as the best way to mitigate mind-traps that could otherwise derail leaders and hamper insightful decision making capabilities. She also makes reference to the Cynefin framework, a tool which helps navigate different levels of complexity.

Resources to find out more about Complexity :

Professor Scott Page : Becoming a Model Thinker — On this episode, Scott Page, 5x Author and Professor of Complex Systems at the University of Michigan explains the power mental models have in how we view the world, uncover creative solutions, and solve complex problems. Farmstreet interview

David Peterson : Long Term Leadership Requires Leadership Development Through Coaching — David Peterson has been Executive coach and innovative thought leader in leadership development for over 20 years. Google’s Head of Executive Coaching and Leadership, he works with senior leaders and supports leadership, learning, and executive development initiatives.

Notes :

VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous)
DNA: Diversity, Novelty, Adversity

Carol Dweck: A Summary of The Two Mindsets And The Power of Believing That You Can Improve (the power of "yet" vs. the tyranny of "Now")

Joh Hall : Combining Cynefin with Swarming for better Incident Management

Dreams

The definition of Dreams here is broad as it includes dreams, hopes, aspirations and really any mind-construct by way of imagination*, intuition, visualization etc ... . Dreaming is intended here as : "what could be", "What might be possible" .

The following readings are provided for those who may like to become more familiar with the "Dream" concept (please note this is a mere introduction) :

Why do we dream? video by Amy Adkins - TED-Ed - Digg deeper here
7 Theories on Why We Dream, by Verywellmind
Your Night Life Prepares You for What’s to Come - The Atlantic
Your Dreams Are Real So Pay Attention - How to decode the imagery in your dreams to live a happier and more meaningful existence. - Excerpt from Dr. Carder Stout’s Mindsail program
The 8 types of Imagination* we utilize - The Nordic Page
Guide to Theory of Knowledge (TOK): Ways of Knowing (imagination is one) - Michael Dunn (video ) - more
How to Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create the Big Magic - Sandy Peckinpah
Dreambody - the body knows that which is at the Edge of our awareness (what we don't know consciously or don't want to notice) - Arnold Mindell - Process Oriented Psychology
The Six Levels of Higher Consciousness - Conscious Life style Magazine

The crucial aspect when working with Dreams is to make them "stick". What we mean here is that coaches strive to help their clients create the optimal conditions/support systems required for Dreams to translate into Action, geared towards the completion (materialization) of the outcomes being sought after. Sheri Johnson, Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley provides valuable insights to understanding how the Brain's Reward System operates on people's Motivation to Pursue their Dreams and Hopes. In particular, she points out that "for Humans the pursuit of Rewards ( joy and dreams) can form the Essence of the Meaning of Life" which is why "they are Mobilized" in their Pursuit.

What I am reading, Listening to

Podcast — FOMO Sapiens

Dorie Clark — Finding the Courage to Monetize Your Talents

Sisun Lee — The Tesla Engineer That Cured His Startup Hangover

Cheryl Einhorn — The Science Of Good Decisions - AREA

Podcast — The Tim Ferriss Show

Eric Schmidt — Lessons from a Trillion-Dollar Coach

Podcast — The Moth

Ishmael Beah — Unusual Normality (Why I Don't Have a School Report )

Podcast — The Unmistakable Creative Podcas t — The Formula, Albert-Laszlo Barabasi ("Your Performance is about you,Your Success is about us")

Podcast — Elevate Podcast - Ingrid Fetell author of "Joyful" on how incorporating joy into the design of our world can change our lives

Interview — Marie TV — Rick Hanson on How to Build Unshakeable Inner Strength Using Neuroscience (Resilient)

Lecture — Shape of Stories - How to write a good short story - Kurt Vonnegut

Blog — Status as a service (StaaS) - People are status-seeking monkeys - Eugene Wei

Article — The EU has set out its strategy for developing ethical AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Quotes I am pondering

You can never get enough of what you don't really need to make you happy - Eric Hoffer
Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress - Alfred A. Montapert
Market trumps Product and Team — Marc Andressen (Market First)
Exponential curves are fiendishly hard — if you stand on one and look back, it looks flat. If you look ahead, it looks vertical — Sam Altman

Follow us for more

Information about the usual favorite topics of our early-stage entrepreneurs and career-transitioning intra-preneurs is curated on our Facebook and Twitter accounts- Follow us !. We diligently scout the most singular and valuable pieces of information & tips from our networks and carefully piece the data together so as to deliver the exclusive insights our members are looking for. Check us out regularly as we put up new relevant and time sensitive content daily. Our April content is already loaded with insights and opportunities !

Need more support sifting through the realm of possibilities ? consult with us. We can strategize & design together your selective approach for personalized insights.

Issue #6- March 2019

With spring coming we have decided to experiment with a new format for our Catch of the Month monthly post and see what happens ...

As I start writing today it is march 8, International Women's Day and "I think to myself... what a wonderful world !" ... images and concepts flash through my mind in an instant about what I associate to being a Woman today ... gender lens investing, funding gap and some ideas on how to close it, overcoming female stereotypes, gender gap and what to make of it, want some measures about gender inequality ? here are some stats, how to graduate to gender-equal workplaces of the future, gender pay gap, mother nature, women champions of sustainability, women and girls who change the face of financial literacy, education and tech-education, women championing girls' education, women investors, europe’s most influential women in the startup and VC space, female founders, women entrepreneurs whose smarts are rattling industries far and wide, female entrepreneurs who pay it forward, women on boards and the corporate board-service path, women in conscious business, women activists, women defender of human rights, women in e-commerce, women launching a business after 40, women in science and tech, women creative artists shaping the art world, women tackling modern slavery, most spiritually influential women living today, female billionaires form all walks of life ...

I am hearing the music and feeling the power of each of their shared stories, seeing how they have inspired and given permission - to new models for more inclusive societies and sustainable behaviors - to flourish in the minds and hearts of our communities. I am sensing into the experience and taping into the wisdom of shedding old skins to pionner a new world-order, some call it a paradigm shift ... dreaming one's life and hopes up, all around the planet and across generations, so intentionally as to make them come true ... witness the future as it unfolds now ...

Issue#6 of our monthly newsletter is dedicated to women. I trust you will find it an exhilarating read too !

Of course you can find information about your usual favorite topics following us on Facebook and Twitter. We diligently scout the most singular and valuable pieces of information & tips from our networks and carefully piece the data together so it delivers the exclusive insights our members are looking for. Check us out regularly as we put up new relevant and time sensitive content daily. Our march content is already loaded with opportunities !

Need more support sifting through the realm of possibilities ? consult with us. We can strategize & design together your selective approach for personalized insights.

Pour faire un clin d’œil à notre rubrique Jobs/Emplois - nous partageons ici, à titre d'exemple, l'évolution typique du CV d'une personne en reconversion professionnelle, suite à un accompagnement par nos équipes. Le cheminement sous-jacent a pour but d'attirer l'attention des recruteurs et de les engager dans une conversation concernant les opportunités de collaboration identifiées. La lettre de motivation (non jointe ici) étant un savant concentré des éléments clés mis en exergue dans le CV par rapport au rôle spécifique à pourvoir. Nous retenons de préférence un nombre réduit de candidats avec lesquels nous nous impliquons sur la durée et déployons toute une palette de savoir faire et de techniques hautement transformatives qui vont bien au delà des compétences habituelles proposées dans le domaine de la recherche d'emploi. Le candidat(e) idéal(e) pour notre processus fait preuve d'une motivation et d'une agilité hors norme (que nous cultivons) et ambitionne un changement significatif dans son parcours - parcours en général nourri par une dynamique intra-preneuriale forte et une mission en résonance avec ses valeurs, ses compétences (dont celle de savoir acquérir de nouvelles compétences) et aspirations profondes. Le processus évolutif nécessite plusieurs itérations pour révéler le positionnement souhaitable (de la même manière qu'une offre de service rencontre son marché dans les programmes d'incubation pour les start-up), ainsi il doit s'envisager dans le temps. Un CV n'est qu'une des manifestations de la transformation profonde qui s'opère et qui s'exprime dans le cadre professionnel. Nous sommes reconnaissants d'avoir l'opportunité d'accompagner nos membres vers ces moments révélateurs et nous nous réjouissons humblement de leurs accomplissements.

Issue #5- February 2019

Our monthly Catch is curated with the interests of our 'early-stage entrepreneurs as well as career-transitioning intra-preneurs' community members in mind. It is our experience that these specific groups are on the lookout for growth opportunities and access to in-depth knowledge and insights; while usually having to manage a tight budget and acute time constraints. That’s where we come in wit our meticulous Market Watch and relentless Monitoring practices, to identify opportunities that may be suitable to their specific sets of circumstances and profiles.

The content we curate is time-sensitive therefore it is updated weekly during the course of each month. Information is provided in English or French and covers topics of interest from both the US & Europe mainly (In Europe, France is of particular interest) and Emerging Markets occasionally; as follows :

Jobs that matter, make sense & more opportunities ...
News - Interviews - Talks - Blogs - Events & Conferences ...
Incubators - Accelerators - Training - Education Programs - Competitions - Guides & more ...