Since time immemorial, we’re told that our network of friends and family members are vital to our success. Who haven’t heard that “a friend in need is a friend indeed” or that “blood runs thicker than water”?
Well, the tables may soon be turned. At least according to innovation consultant Alan Gregerman.
What is the secret sauce to enduring corporate innovation?
Is it the ability to introduce disruptive technologies? Are smaller companies – also known as emergents – more able to shake the market? What about religion, climate, geography, education, patents or even (gasp) luck?
Jack Welch speaks with his fists (courtesy of MinnPost)
Charity begins at home. Likewise, a company’s mission, vision, goals and brand values must start with its employees.
The challenge however is that we’re so fixated with getting the right “message” across to customers, shareholders, and the media that we forget what its like to speak to our team.
“Policies are organisational scar tissue. They are codified overreactions to situations that are unlikely to happen again. They are collective punishment for the misdeeds of an individual”
With excerpts like that, you can be sure that Rework by founders of 37Signals Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson isn’t an ordinary book on entrepreneurship. Divided into 12 short chapters on various aspects of business – from progress to productivity and competitors to culture – Rework is a compelling read.
Why does pain sometimes feel like pleasure? Why do we enjoy music and art even though there aren’t any adaptive advantages? When does “one man’s meat” become “another man’s poison”?
The answers to these human behavioural puzzles (and more) can be found in How Pleasure Works. Written by Yale’s evolutionary psychologist Paul Bloom, the book uncovers the “new science of why we like what we like”. By delving into the fields of anthropology, evolution, history, biology and psychology, the book investigates why we humans are so different compared to our fellow earthlings.
I love Japanese art and culture.
Almost everything about the country – from buildings to gardens, displays, products, advertisements, food, shops, train stations and people (especially people) – are enchanting.
While Japan does have its share of woes (don’t we all?), few countries around the world are able to balance age-old tradition with modernity in such a harmonious fashion. This is especially true in the field of aesthetics and design, where almost everything in Japan is well conceived. You could hardly find anything that is an eyesore there!
Jesus certainly knows the power of good stories! (courtesy of Life with Da Man CD)
Since time immemorial, storytelling has influenced billions around the globe.
We’ve all heard of cave men and women sitting around a fireplace, listening intently as a wizened elder regaled the tribe with heroic chronicles of his younger days.
Join in the heritage party this July!
Celebrating its 9th year at 9 heartland malls, 2 satellite hubs and lots of other places, Singapore HeritageFest 2012 serves you a yummy spread of heritage goodies across the island. With the theme Recollect, Reflect and Reconnect, the National Heritage Board’s annual extravaganza promises lots of activities that tug at the heartstrings while bringing back fond memories of yesteryear.
Indulge your lust for a blast from the past! From batik to dance to cinemas to traditional toys to food (we’re Singaporeans after all), feast on the good old days at our heartlands. Embark on a heritage walk at Tiong Bahru, enjoy traditional Indian dance performances at Hougang Mall, learn the intricacies of Peranakan beadwork at 112 Katong, or go moist-eyed with nostalgia as legendary storyteller Lee Dai Soh shares his timeless craft.
New year photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com
What is the first thing which comes to mind when you think of Christmas?
Well, perhaps a Christmas tree surrounded by presents would appear. Or that jolly red guy with a long beard named Santa Claus. Maybe a good time of feasting and merrymaking?
Southeast Asia’s exciting maritime past comes alive this 15 October with the opening of Singapore’s first maritime museum. Known as the Maritime Experiential Museum & Acquarium (MEMA), the attraction at Resorts World Sentosa features more than 400 rare objects including the Jewel of Muscat (a life-sized reproduction of a 9th century Arab dhow), and treasures from the Belitung Shipwreck. Designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, an international museum design firm, the museum depicts the romance of a bygone era with tales of seafarers braving the stormy seas along the Maritime Silk Route.
Set in the 15th century, the museum’s centrepiece revolves around the story of legendary Admiral Zheng He who launched many maritime voyages from China to the Western oceans with a fleet of 300 shops. Through highly interactive features and realistic replicas, the stories of exotic lands and seas from the past comes alive.