Is innovation killing your company? | Alf Rehn, University of Southern Denmark

Searching for Mana with Lloyd Wahed

It’s time to get innovative as Lloyd welcomes acclaimed writer and speaker Alf Rehn.

From becoming the youngest university chair in Finland to serving as a chairman to a Gold Lion-winning ad agency, Alf has led a vast and varied career. Today, he’s a professor of innovation, design and management at the University of Southern Denmark and the author of Innovation for the Fatigued: How to Build a Culture of Deep Creativity.

On this episode, Lloyd and Alf discuss what companies are getting wrong about innovation, why fatigue is set in and how to fix it. Alf also explains why the biggest icons are those who are free to take risks and outlines the three attributes of successful CEOs. Plus, hear about the big company Alf missed the boat on and hear what he learned from meeting GE magnate Jack Welch.

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Buy Alf’s book, Innovation for the Fatigued

Episode Highlights:

04:17: The surprising lesson Alf learned from meeting GE executive Jack Welch

09:00: The three attributes of successful CEOs

10:55: Innovation fatigue and how neobanks contribute to it

16:00: Why big companies aren’t necessarily bad innovators

22:17: Innovation as a balance of curiosity and perseverance

28:30: Why the most innovative companies lead by example

32:00: How the opportunity of a lifetime thrust Alf into an existential crisis

40:24: Why contrarians continue to fascinate Alf

46:41: Alf’s advice for climbing the career ladder