Friday, 6 December 2013
By Linda Friedland
I had the privilege of both participating and presenting at a remarkable conference last week in Melbourne. Creative Innovation is the brainchild of Tania De Jong AM, a leading Australian soprano and social entrepreneur. Ci2013 delivered world class creative ideas and transformative solutions. It offered discussion in a most creative way on credible forecasts, strategies and best practices. It was an extremely diverse group of 600 attendees from big and small business, entrepreneurs, educators, dramatic artists, scientists, environmentalists , leaders of industry and government, emerging talent and inspired thinkers from around the world. Whomever said ‘”great minds think alike”, has never attended a creative innovation event. Robust debate was central to the success of this event as well as what Tania calls “positive collisions”, the engagement and connecting of different ideas and people. We were encouraged during tea breaks to connect with the people who appeared most unlike ourselves. Much data exists on the need for greater intersecting of disciplines in order to bring about innovation and creativity. “Often, truly innovative breakthroughs occur at the intersection of fields,” explained Jon Duschinsky CEO of the Conversation Farm (Toronto Canada). Hearing dramatically different views on entrepreneurship, ethics, economics, education and the environment interspersed with graphic artists, classical piano and opera certainly stimulated both our left and right brain activity and enhanced neuroplasticity* and neurogenesis* in all present.
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