Musicians are artists, and entrepreneurs are innovators – what happens when their thinking converge? IDEO senior partner R. Michael Hendrix, and Berklee College of Music senior VP, Panos A. Panay join Moe to discuss the intersection of art and business.
“Dare To Suck”
Despite the endless demand for business ingenuity, rarely do you come across an organization so dedicated to remaking itself that even its own people live in awe of its continual sense of wonder. It goes without saying that disruption spares no one; still few have the discipline to risk losing in order to see beyond the horizon.
Creativity demands courage, and while each of us are born with the creative gene; few give themselves the opportunity to access it. Perhaps it’s the challenge of having to change a habit, or just the mere fact of familiarity – regardless, when one gives herself a chance to see the world from a new lens, a whole new perspective is likely to emerge – for better or worse.
It’s been nearly three decades since my introduction to the concept of design thinking, and since then, I’ve made it a priority to approach life, and particularly business by asking the type of questions that would not only challenge my current assumptions, but that would lead me on a thinking adventure – one that’s new, better, and different. And, while that’s hardly comfortable, its certainly never dull.
Few understand this depth of human possibility as the design firm, IDEO and that’s why I was thrilled when I was introduced to the new book – Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation – by global design director, R. Michael Hendrix and his collaborator and senior vice president of global strategy and innovation of Berklee College of Music, Panos Panay. In it, they use their mastery of storytelling to distill the hidden dimensions of artists that most of us don’t recognize, but could be essential building blocks for business success.
Here are a few of the topics we discuss:
- The correlation between art and business
- The business culture that invites true collaboration
- The misconception of ‘mindsets’
- The sound of silence and its impact on execution
- Can you really dare to suck?
- The Beatles as a leadership model
- What is the right first step?
- What does a great producer do?
- What happens when leaders manage the environment, and not the individual?
- Resources: