Cecylia Grendowicz’s Post

Beware the believing and doing gap. I’ve just returned from Barcelona where I’ve been working with a customer to develop a learning and development strategy to align with future business changes. I was thoroughly impressed by the level of preparation for my work with this multinational team. All the necessary data and resources had been prepared beforehand and they provided comprehensive background information on the project. In contrast to a recent contractual experience where obtaining essential data was a painfully time-consuming process, hindering productivity, this meticulous preparation enabled significant progress right from the start. It was clear that my host had put a lot of thought into creating an experience to positively impact effective collaboration. The location selected for our first team meeting was Park Güell. Our host Aleix gathered us to listen to the story of the park which began as a visionary project to accommodate 60 houses. Count Eusebi Guell was a “real estate developer”, in the early 20th century, wanted to build a luxurious and exclusive walled residential neighbourhood, on a 15-hectares rocky hill with little vegetation. The vision was a personal passion. Yet, without substantive ideas and resource to provide necessary infrastructure and evidence of concrete actions the process came to a screeching halt. Failure to buy into the vision led to a lack of buyers and the project was abandoned. Park Güell eventually became a public park. Beware the believing and doing gap, a failure of leadership to follow through on the work required to bring a vision to life. The choice of location provided a sensory experience, the story connected us to our purpose for being there and reminded us to avoid the vision being so aspirational and lacking in practicality people become sceptical of its feasibility. The vision of the organisation’s future aroused powerful emotions however, we were constantly grounded reminded of the failures in the story, and of our responsibility to provide process and to follow through on the work required to bring a vision to life. Influenced by that story and the amazing surroundings we set to work on a plan to support the vision and provide direction for shaping people process and performance. While I pull together the pieces of the puzzle to frame the vision into a strategic plan, I realise the enormous challenge and commitment that this process demands, some of the pieces are missing and many will change shape however, I am confident that it provides a basis to formulate strategy that can be acted on.

Aven Le ZHOU, FRSA, aCSDF to join the discussion at the BritCham’s Best Emerging Talent Festival unfolding the topic of the creativity in the age of AI 👏

🌎 Having a diverse and multicultural workplace is proven to have multiple benefits – from increased productivity, enhanced creativity and improved cultural awareness to name just a few. 🏙️ As Amsterdam grows and evolves, it's important to make sure that everyone has a place in the workforce. Numerous platforms and organisations are stepping up to turn this vision into reality, creating environments where diversity is not only accepted but celebrated. If you’re looking to connect with socially inclusive hiring platforms – then you’ve come to the right place. 🖥️ Pantar Amsterdam connects companies with employees with physical, psychological, or learning disabilities for roles in park maintenance, catering, transport, and office work while House of Skills is a partnership in the Amsterdam area promoting a skills-based labour market by enhancing job mobility and lifelong learning with tools for skills matching. 🔗 Read more about inclusive hiring platforms and how they can elevate and boost your business here: https://lnkd.in/ekZG32XM #InclusiveHiringAMS #DiverseHiringAMS #InclusionMatters #DiverseTalent #AmsterdamJobs

We are very proud to have successfully opened in Beijing yesterday and will soon be communicating about this giant new step. Reflecting on a series of ongoing start-up challenges, I’m proud of how they’ve shaped Sensory Odyssey. Steering this pioneering project often felt like navigating through a permanent storm. Yet, every challenge we overcame only strengthened our resolve, mimicking the infinite examples of resilience we find in nature. Our journey has been enriched by collaborations with over 300 talented individuals — artists, designers, scientists, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and behind-the-scenes production and management staff — each adding their brilliance to this unique venture. The foundation for our efforts was laid through a symbiotic collaboration with the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, their knowledgeable scientists, and the dedicated, meticulous support from IFF in creating our fragrances. This partnership has been crucial in establishing a visceral connection with our audience, fostering deep emotional engagement, and developing a keen curiosity to learn everything we can about the living world. The search for the optimal flexibility in our business model led us to create a more compact exhibition model, first implemented at the Museu do Amanhã in Rio de Janeiro , allowing us to welcome 4000 visitors per day, three times more people we could host in our previous versions in Paris and Singapore. Looking ahead, we are keen to constantly explore new collaborations to join us in redefining and creating pioneering immersive educational projects that enlighten family audiences. #SensoryOdyssey #Innovation #Resilience #EnvironmentalConservation #ImmersiveExperience

Today I leave to break new ground in Australia with Michelle Dona, then on to South Korea to join Sally Oldfield where Accept & Proceed will be discussing design for the future with some of the most important innovators around. In truth there is quite a bit about travelling that I feel conflicted about. Missing my kids is a big one. It is painful. It breaks my heart. For my little innovators Jon, Tom & Mini, early this morning I hid a crystal somewhere around the house, for each to find in turn, every day that I am away. Look at all those days. Missing you already kiddos x For me what will make any trip worthwhile is conversations that inspire radical action - conversations that turn in to actions which inspire positive change for our future. On this journey we will be discussing the role of creativity in a time of urgency, the magnifying potential of innovation and the evolution of brand and communication for the future. If there’s anyone you think I should meet in Sydney, Byron Bay, Melbourne, or Seoul in the next few weeks please hook me up. Design for the future. Together forwards. #acceptandproceed #brandsforthefuture #businessforthefuture

Facing a significant challenge in comprehending Singapore's approach to visa allocation within the design industry. We've been inundated with requests to discover top-tier designers, but despite thorough searches, the pool of genuine conceptual talent appears to be insufficient. This situation has led several companies to relocate their operations, primarily to Bangkok. It's evident that Singapore's efforts to nurture creative talent may require a more robust and proactive approach. There's a pressing need for them to invest further in fostering creativity and innovation. #DesignIndustry #SingaporeTalent #CreativityDevelopment

In business, what's your Roman Empire? Mine is this: Why do companies say they want out-of-the-box thinking then do everything they can to stifle it and the people who do it? Harvard has published research on the success rate of change initiatives - it's low. Clayton Christensen's "The Innovator's Dilemma" showed how difficult it is for companies to change unless they create new entities that are allowed to build their own cultures and attract new clients because of what this culture makes. In advertising, I've seen hundreds of shapes of agencies and I've had my fair share of "We need a change agent to join us" pleas from recruiters. I've also lived the fussiness of the Corporate America org chart where, in some agencies, it seems the sole focus of management is to move people around rather than: 1. Help them do better work, 2. Advocate for their ideas. Why? Let me know in the comments. ** Follow Sweathead for daily strategy tips. NYC Masterclass is May 30. Details at Sweathead. Classes in June: Cannes, Prague, Berlin. August: Los Angeles, Singapore, Jakarta, Manila, Sydney. Later: Dubai, Vilnius. Possibly Maldives, Colombo. #marketing #business #work #creativity

WHEN asked what keeps her awake, Rhea Matute, current executive director of the Design Center of the Philippines, says, "I want to build a design culture. It cannot depend on one person." Her goal to achieve this entails creating a design innovation ecosystem that will propel the industry and the country to greater creative heights." #design https://lnkd.in/gNUgrehu

📣 Interested in the future of the region? Come join us on October 3rd at the Placemaking Summit. Tickets are almost sold out! 📢 The Summit aims to celebrate Vancouver's rich history in placemaking, assess our current achievements, and most importantly, envision what our beautiful city could become in the future. After years of extensive research on international innovation hubs, we have come to realize that we need a Vancouver-based solution. And that solution starts with each and every one of us. At the Summit, we will be hosting an engaging and dynamic community discussion on the new economy of our city and region. In a rapidly changing world, it is crucial that we embrace equitable economic development and establish Vancouver as a city of true innovation and progress. We have the power to shape our own destiny, and this event will provide us with the tools and inspiration to do just that. Together with our esteemed partners, we will delve deep into the need for innovation districts and industrial agglomeration spaces. We will explore how we can build a resilient and innovative economy right here in our own backyard. From the iconic Stanley Park and its breathtaking seawall to the vibrant Granville Island, Vancouver has proven time and time again that we are capable of true innovation when it comes to city building. Together we are going to position Metro Vancouver as a global contender in innovation with the goals to: accelerate the responsible development and adoption of frontier technologies that create high-paying quality jobs, an equitable and prosperous economy, and a sustainable community for British Columbians. Why Frontier Technology? We're living in an era where technology has the power to break boundaries and defy the conventional. The magic happens when we bring these "frontier technologies" together—not in isolated verticals, but in vibrant, horizontal intersections. Think AI meeting Biotech. Renewable energy mingling with Smart Cities. VR/AR meeting with Food Tech. This is about creating a confluence that can be the catalyst for exponential growth in Vancouver and far beyond. 🇨🇦 Why Vancouver, Why Now? 🇨🇦 We have the talent, the passion, and the spirit. What we need now is the infrastructure—an ecosystem that can elevate not just our city, but also our province and country, in ways we've never imagined before. This is more than a hub; this is a revolution in how we think about innovation. It's about transforming Vancouver into a global epicenter for technological advancement and social impact. We're going to sow the seeds for a more prosperous, inclusive, and vibrant future for Vancouver—and for the world. Join us! A huge thank you to our speakers and sponsors: Jacquie Griffiths, ICD.D Loc Dao Anita Huberman Gavin Dew Dan (Danny) Breznitz Lorraine Lowe Carol Lee Jennifer Podmore Russell Walter Pela, FCPA, FCA Jan E. Odegard Larry Beasley Dan Burgar Bridgitte Anderson, ICD.D Leah Nguyen

✨ Poznan has been ranked in recent times among the top cities with high education standards and quality of living. These week, after the DATAMITE General Assembly, I could see why. Professionalism, amazing food and culture. 🛫 As person living the last decade far from my home country, I developed a defense mechanism to fight nostalgy. Concrete flavours or food can trigger memories. 🧠 These memories, or Proustian Moments, keep developing during our life, and remain linked to a moment in time, an experience. When I travel to my hometown I carry back some food to use in case of emergency. If nostalgy chases you, you can take them as medicine, as a quick - but temporal - remedy. Then, you close your eyes, and there it is, calm place in another time. One could say, food for the soul. 👌 Marcin Płóciennik, historian, computer scientist, and his group at Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center / Poznańskie Centrum Superkomputerowo-Sieciowe (PCSS), mastered this up to a level that touches perfection. These days, on several occasions, Marcin went to the stage and said: "We have a magic table. As I can't bring you to my hometown, let's see what the magic table bring to us". Behind the scenes, the PSSC team prepared something that, beyond beautiful, is the strongest mechanism for efficiency I ever saw. After that phrase, reaching the back part of the room and moving two whiteboards he showed everyone where magic was, a table full with products from Poznan. While we were surrounding him and the table, he described each product, their history and their culture, to later conclude with a simply, beautiful "Please, eat". 🛠️ However, some subtleties must be highlighted beyond the kindness of the gesture. This is the creation of a relaxed environment optimal to work. These days, a huge and seamless team building effort among 26 partners, in many occassions imperceptible, was slowly stewing. The coordinator and the host were helping the others to converge, something that is clear ground for success. 🎯 Work is work. I cant recall how many times I heard this phrase in recent times within EU projects. However, I cant disagree more with it. Work is a language to show how and who we are. A ground truth: not all is work. One can identify these imperceptible actions as booster of huge benefits for the team, and it is fair to acknowledge the effort that good leaders in the room put to move the creation of an environment where every person could help, openly contribute and, despite any misalignement, they are not punished but their confidence is reinforced to converge to a common point. Although EU Projects can face challenges, Datamite navigates beyond work, turning the partners into the audience of this beautiful magic spectacle. It was my pleasure PCSS team, My pleasure Marcin. 🙋 In the future, I will come back to a magic table in PCSS while eating since you created a few Proustian Moments. I know that I will. #DataStrategy #HorizonEU #DATAMITE