What do jazz, orchestras and ISO standards have to do with innovation? In this episode, Dennis Böcker –innovation consultant, ISO expert, and contributor to the DIN Innovation Committee– explains the power of an Innovation Management System.

He shares why structure and standards don’t kill creativity; rather they enable creativity. From his work at Bosch to helping teams align around the ISO 56000 family of standards, Dennis shows how organisations of all sizes can benefit from a system-based approach to innovation.

Along the way, we discuss myths about standardisation, practical use cases (companies of all sizes) and what makes a mature innovation function.

Connect with Dennis:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dennisboecker/

Website: https://dennis-boecker.com/

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You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

Is disruption a threat or an opportunity? In this episode, we sit down with Scott Wolfson, Managing Director at Valize and a leader in innovation, strategy, and digital transformation, to explore how inflection points and imagination machines are shaking the very foundations of business.

Scott shares his unconventional career path — from street performer in Amsterdam to co-founding KPMG’s Innovation Labs and driving AI service offerings at BCG. Now, with Rita McGrath and Kes Sampanthar at Valize, he’s focused on helping organisations benefit from disruption by spotting change early and leveraging the transformative power of generative AI.

We discuss critical concepts like permissionless organisations, real-time strategy, and the shift from prediction machines to imagination machines.

Plus, Scott reveals the extent to which businesses must build new capabilities to stay competitive in a world where knowledge and expertise are becoming commoditised.

Connect with Scott:

Learn more about Valize: https://www.valize.com

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins and David Semmens (podcast hosts) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Rebecca Homkes, a globally renowned strategist, lecturer at London Business School and Duke Corporate Education, and author of Survive, Reset, Thrive: Leading Breakthrough Growth Strategy in Volatile Times.

Rebecca shares her unique insights into how organisations can embrace uncertainty, make bold decisions, and thrive in a world of constant change.

Discover why she claims “growth is a loop, not a line,” and how high-growth companies act on well-defined beliefs rather than waiting for perfect data. Rebecca also introduces tools like the beliefs tracker and no-regret moves to help leaders stay agile and focused, even in volatile conditions.

We also explore the contrast of teaching vs learning organisations, how to embrace uncertainty, and why strategy should be a hypothesis to test, not a fixed plan to follow.

Whether you’re a corporate innovator or an entrepreneur, this episode will not leave you indifferent. We hope Rebecca will inspire you to rethink strategy and how you approach uncertainty.

Learn more about Rebecca at https://rebeccahomkes.com and check out her book via https://surviveresetthrive.com.

(Unpaid, authentic endorsement)

Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-homkes/.

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins and David Semmens (podcast hosts) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

In this episode of the Culturedge Podcast, we speak with Sharon O’Dea, a leading voice in digital workplace strategy and co-founder of Lithos Partners. Sharon’s journey into digital transformation began in the world of communications, but it has since evolved to guide organisations like global banks, the UK government, and Oxford University toward more adaptive, collaborative digital environments.

Sharon explains why transformation projects face unique hurdles in complex settings and shares her experience advising large-scale clients on optimising internal communications, tackling “legacy tech,” and how she helps them to build a culture of innovation from within.

Drawing on her consultancy work and as co-author of two books, Sharon shares with us how organisations can unlock the potential of digital tools and avoid common pitfalls. She also co-founded the 300 Seconds initiative, which empowers underrepresented voices in tech.

Whether you’re navigating digital change in a complex multinational company or simply passionate about the future of work, Sharon’s insights will offer you valuable approaches to bridge the digital divide in your own workplace.

For more from Sharon, connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonodea/ or visit her consultancy's site at https://lithos.partners/.

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins and David Semmens (podcast hosts) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

For our final episode of Season 1 we’re pleased to welcome Dr Nils Jeners, an innovation consultant from Germany who helps corporates across a range of innovation activities: from strategy, to ideation, from training, to creating an innovation ecosystem.

With over ten years of experience in the field of innovation, a PhD in computer science and a background as a startup entrepreneur, Nils also holds teaching positions at 3 universities (TU Munich, TH Cologne, and TU Dortmund).

Nils jumps straight in and describes his pet hate in innovation: what he calls ‘featuritis’, the tendency of corporate innovators —and startup entrepreneurs— to build too many features into what should be early versions of their products. Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) are often not minimal at all!

In this episode we talk about the causes of featuritis, its negative consequences, but Nils also proposes practical solutions in a corporate setting.

🔗 You can reach Nils through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-jeners/

🔗 Read more about Nils’s innovation training courses here: https://www.nilsjeners.com/training

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🔗 You can contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

🔗 And David Semmens (guest co-host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

In this episode we are joined by Dr Aurelia Engelsberger, and we dive straight into the crucial matter of innovation culture and mindset.

We talk about her own willingness to pivot and how she advises clients on a range of challenging new attitudes and behaviours — like maintaining an open mindset, developing a tolerance for failure, and empowering their people to innovate.

Concretely, Aurelia also shares her experience with the effectiveness of incentives and nudges in driving transformative change inside large companies.

Aurelia is the CEO & Founder of OMIND Platform - a young company that helps businesses to transform, by focusing on the human factor.

After building extensive experience in the banking, fashion, and auto industries, as well as in academia, it’s clear that Aurelia has found an inspiring niche at the intersection of innovation and psychology.

🔗 You can reach Aurelia through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurelia-engelsberger/

🔗 Read more about OMIND Platform here: https://www.omindplatform.com

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

Adam Forbes joins us this week (from near London, UK).

Adam is a Program Director at Startupbootcamp, where he helps early-stage startups find product-market fit, secure funding, and launch successful go-to-market strategies.

Adam is also the author of the book Corporate Escapology (to be released later this year) and host of the podcast of the same name.

After 20 years in the corporate world, specifically in the energy industry, Adam has re-invented himself as a business founder and a coach, working at the intersection of startups and corporate innovation.

Join us as we discuss the risks and opportunities for entrepreneurial minds considering leaving their corporate career to start their own venture.

Based on his personal experience, and that of the many startups he has advised, Adam shares some invaluable advice for smart people in both the corporate world and the startup world.

🔗 You can reach Adam through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkforbes/

🔗 Read more about Corporate Escapology on Adam’s website: https://www.corporateescapology.com/

🔗 Or on Instagram: @corporateescapologist

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

In this episode we welcome Vrinda Kabra, a business designer and consultant with a fascinating entrepreneurial background, a well as an international and multicultural outlook on the world.

Originally from India, Vrinda is currently based in Munich, where she works for the UN’s World Food Programme as an Innovation Venture Consultant - advising global teams across a range of domains where “Business meets Design”.

Vrinda is also the co-founder of Precycle (www.precycle.today) an environmental startup focused on ethical plastics recycling.

Join our conversation, in which we discuss the benefits and nuances of diversity for innovation inside large organisations.

Vrinda shares some great advice for leaders (and aspiring leaders) who are seeking to navigate this complex space.

🔗 You can reach Vrinda through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vrindakabra/

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

We’re joined this week by Simon Nopp, an entrepreneur and consultant who works with corporates and early-stage tech start-ups — helping them to build, launch, and grow their successful ventures.

Simon is based in Innsbruck (Austria) and has helped companies and start-ups all over the world, from Europe to Asia to the USA, to design and evolve breakthrough innovation initiatives.

In the last decade, he has supported 30+ businesses in the field of entrepreneurship, disruptive innovation, and growth.

Simon is a 2x founder, a contributor to the Purpose Launchpad Methodology, author of the Supercharging Entrepreneurship eBook and a certified Exponential Organisation Consultant as well as Purpose Launchpad Mentor.

Based on his extensive work with large corporations and with startups, Simon has some unambiguous opinions on their relative strengths and weaknesses.

He also shares some awesome advice for businesses who know they need to move faster in their innovation activities.

🔗 You can reach Simon through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonnopp

🔗 Check out Simon’s entrepreneurship and innovation online course and book here: https://10x-blueprint.com/

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

🔗 And David Semmens (guest co-host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]

Jasper Brand joins us this week and straight away, we get stuck into a crucial topic: the emotional investment of innovators.

This is an ingredient Jasper believes is crucial for delivering tangible results in an innovation context.

Based on his experience of 10 years in banking, and in his current capacity as Partner at The Talent Institute in Amsterdam, Jasper describes the “night and day” contrasts he has witnessed between the corporate world and the startup world.

Join us for this episode as we discuss the impact of corporate structure, bureaucracy and incentives on innovation outcomes — for which Jasper shares guidance for innovation leaders.

🔗 You can reach Jasper through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasper-brand/

✉️ Or by email: [email protected]

🔗 Or visit The Talent Institute at: http://www.thetalentinstitute.nl

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🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/

🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/

✉️ [email protected]