I’m flying to Namibia next week, and I can tell you – without the plane connection, it would take me around 2000 hours (over 80 days) to get there on foot and by ferry. I love technology. Technology has been a great enabler of my life and business. No doubt.

And yet, technology cannot be a panacea for everything: the global challenges, the unforeseeable results of the pandemic, and natural catastrophes. Or, if they seem too far away from our surroundings, let us take poverty, health issues, and the heat we experience this summer in Europe into consideration. Or, if this is still too far away – the fact that you are unhappy in your job, you hate your boss, and you can’t go along well with your colleagues.

None of the above can’t be solved by technology (only.)

Technology can be an enabler of things, but I suggest we use old-fashioned tools such as creativity, human interaction, compassion, and deep and systemic understanding before we start creating solutions and innovating.

Ohh, Iwona – what are you trying to tell us?

Cherries – I am a huge fan of cherries and berries. And what I have observed over the last years can be connected to them. Too often, organizations, companies, and administrations put a beautiful organic cherry on the top of a cake a call it “innovation.” For all the innovators out there – there is everything wrong with this approach.

It is even worse when you know that the delicious organic cherry was put on top of a very unhealthy cake. So instead of doing it, I recommend deep diving into the cake, checking all its ingredients, its (unnecessary) complexity, and its toxicity to people and the planet. And then think about how we can create a cake that is sustainable, delicious and can serve generations. Or maybe before that: can we start with a question of whether the cake is even needed? Instead of cakes, we might need berry cookies or a sugar-free diet. Or none of the above, after all.

What is your approach to creating solutions? Any examples in your daily/business life?