The Water Game
Where does water come from?
A clean, constant supply of drinking water is essential to every community none the less water is something we all take for granted as a commodity in our part of the world.. When we turn on the tap, water comes out.
In a close collaboration with Grontjemij | Carl Bro, a leading sustainable design, engineering and management consultancy based in 20 countries, framework identity and Built Identity have developed an inspirational “game” called The Water Game. Target groups are water suppliers and the aim is to re-think the significance of water for the modern man. The Water Game raises questions that give inspiration, input and food for thought. It works as a dialogue tool that boards, management groups and employes at water can use in the process of developing the future strategy of their local waterwork.
The Water Game was presented at a recent fair organised by the Danish Water and Waste Water Association (DANVA), a national association of water and waste water utilities. Though scepticism was shown at the beginning several waterworks were curious about the game and its use it in their strategic work.
The impact of a positive mindset
Positive Psychology is a term you hear more and more often in connection with employee performance and optimizing work environment. The term refers to how can improve your motivation and performance through your changing your attitude in certain situations. The fact that management behavior have a big impact on the work environment in teams and organizations, has encouraged several companies to introduce their managers to positive psycology.
Together with our network partner Strandgaard & Co we facilitated a workshop for a group of managers from Lundbeck on how to use positive psychology to change unfavorable habits in their teams and support creative and positive thinking. Through theory and practical exercises, we supplied them with knowledge and tools for becoming more aware and alert in their management roles: How to identify and develop personal strategies for flow and energy in daily work situations and to positively affect their surroundings.
We’ve all experienced to feel stressed and drained of energy after a workday. We tend to blame it on the boss, the difficult clients or the daily traffic jam. However, little changes can have big effects. Meeting your colleagues with a positive attitude and optimism instead of stress and short answers creates a very different energy at your work place. We all make these choises many times a day, when we interact with other people. Some situations may be more challenging to change into something positive than others. But in the end it is our own choise, if today’s budget meeting is going to be a dread or a unique possibility to talk about opportunities and (positive) change.
Here is a good little exercise for you: For one day, try to be aware of and focus on things that make you happy, organize your space and devote some time to activities you enjoy. Alone or with collegues. What fosters “A good work day” for you? We think we could all need a new perspective these days
Designing a sustainable society
3rd International Future Center Summit
In May we are participating in a summit in Stockholm, together with our network partners from Strandgaard & Co and The International Center for Innovation.
The participants will be an inspiring, international group of practitioners and thinkers – people from existing and up-coming so called future and innovation centers. Future Centers are open innovation environments where concepts are developed to support organisations in becoming more systematic in their process of user involvement.
At the summit professionals with shared interests and visions will have the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience and participate in workshops on social entrepreneurship, intercultural collaboration and society design. The summit is highly relevant for us and our work with both the International Center for Innovation, Future Strategy and 180° Academy where user-driven innovation plays a big role. We hope to extend our network and gain new knowledge that we can integrate in our work with our network partners.
More information about the summit can be found here
Summit Leaders
Prof. Leif Edvinsson – UNIC & University of Lund & The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Per Östling – Dalenum Development
Henrik Danckwardt – IC Community
Fight the crunch!
We hear about the recession all the time. The strategies for dealing with it are very different, but when visiting different organisations, both private and public, there are similarities. Important changes are postponed, every new venture is analysed carefully and maybe even put on hold, staff costs cut and hiring stopped. All of which are potentially dangerous precautions for any organisation.
By changing the perspective, the crunch actually creates new opportunities for organisations who are willing to fight the norm.
One of them has already been proved by a small organisation, I admire; Middelfart Sparekasse (a Danish bank). Because or despite of the recession, just a few weeks ago they were awarded the title “The best workplace in Denmark”, by the Great Place to Work® Institute. For me, that is a great example of how putting people first will always be a winning strategy. Make sure you build up confidence and trust, both towards your employees, clients and other stakeholders. If you let them down, they will let you down.
In short, for many organisations the crunch can be a great wake-up call that allows you to focus your organisation on what REALLY makes a difference. Trust, clarity, reliability and true value.
More about the nomination in Berlingske Nyhedsmagasin (Danish)