Daily Inspiration: “Dream at the absolute edge of creativity – and then innovate the speed of disruption!”

“Dream at the absolute edge of creativity – and then innovate the speed of disruption!” – Futurist Jim Carroll

Another CEO-led leadership meeting, in this case for this company which is one of the world’s leading manufactures and suppliers of door and window locks — everything from simple deadbolt assembly to complex chip-based hotel door locking devices! I’m there to talk about Manufacturing 3.0, the Factory of the Future, the Industrial Internet of Things, and much, much more.

The context underlying this talk – and many of the events I do – is found in this quote, and it aligns to my mantra to think big, start small and scale fast.

The interesting thing for organizations like this is that they are faced with a double whammy with some key trends. Take the Industrial Internet of Things or IIOT as it is known. Simply put, this is massive connectivity at every level, both within the factory floor (to better monitor process, machinery, robotics) as well as in the devices produced (locks and other products.) Almost overnight, the organization has had to shift into being a hi-tech company that can implement and layer complex connectivity both into its’ process of making things as well as the very things it is making. It never previously had these skills or never had them to the degree required.

This is the modern-day leadership challenge, and to align to this new reality requires big, bold thinking (“dreaming”), and then innovating at speed – because if you don’t do it, your competition will!

And the simple lesson I’m covering on stage – dreaming big, innovating faster – can apply to everything you do in your complex professional and personal life today.