role of mindfulness in creating space for innovation and growth

A collaboration between:

#MindfulBizConf

Svetlana Dimovski, PhD – BASF Corporation

THE ROLE OF MINDFULNESS IN CREATING SPACE FOR INNOVATION AND GROWTH

BARRIERS TO GROWTHSustaining growth: Why growth stalls?

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70% US workforce not engaged or actively disengaged

- Gallup, 2013

DiversityDifferent people need different approach to engagement:

• Purpose• Presence• Mindset• Work Styles • Cognitive Diversity

87% growth stall factors are internal, within management control.

- “When Growth Stalls” by M. S. Olson, D. van Bever, S. Verry, 2008

© BASF Corporation

OUR STORY – WHERE WE COME FROMCreating Space for Innovation and Growth

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OUR LEGACY: 150 YEARS OF BASF

• Ludwigshafen, Germany • €70.5 B, 112,000+ employees• Serving almost all industries• 5 business segments, 13

operating units, 6 Verbund sites and 338 other production sites

© BASF Corporation

TIP 1: TO CREATE SPACE FOR INNOVATION AND GROWTH IN A HIGHLY COMPLEX SYSTEM, PREPARE FOR A LONG RUN

OUR STORY – SEEDS OF CHANGECreating Space for Innovation and Growth

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VISION FOR INNOVATION: CONNECT, COLLABORATE, INNOVATE

• Every employee is an innovator• Employees connect and collaborate internally and

externally to accelerate learning and capitalize on knowledge

• BASF is recognized as an innovation leader

North America 2020

STRATEGY 2020: FIVE YEARS OF CHANGE

• Strategy 2020: Profitable growth through collaboration and innovation

• Implementation timeframe: 2011-2015

© BASF Corporation

TIP 2: ANCHOR YOUR PROGRAM TO A BURNING PLATFORM OR THE COMPANY‘S GROWTH STRATEGY

OUR STORY – SEEDS OF CHANGECreating Space for Innovation and Growth

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Leadership Growth & Innovation strategy

Organization (structures conducive of innovation)

Culture & Climate Ecosystem (assets and relationships) Skills & Competencies

Tools & Processes Growth portfolio Impact Measures

© BASF Corporation

TIP 3: TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A LARGE & COMPLEX SYSTEM, TAKE A SYSTEM APPROACH TO CHANGE

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Creating Space for Innovation and Growth at BASF

DRIVE INNOVATION: GLOBAL COMPETENCY

• Best practices and gap assessment: analysis and interviews to define learning gaps

• Training design priorities: focus groups

• 10:20:70 learning principle• Regional pilots and implementation

with global scale-up potential in mind

© BASF Corporation

DRVE INNOVATION: Contribute creative solutions and foster the spirit of innovation

OUR STORY – SCALING UP

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OUR STORY – SCALING UPCreating Space for Innovation and Growth at BASF

EXAMPLE: SPEED GUIDED APPROACH TO CREATIVE COMPLEX PROBLEM SOLVING• Recognize and separate facts and insights from

assumptions and beliefs• Convert facts & insights into growth opportunities

and solutions for customers• Transform ambiguities into clarities and allows for

a better discovery conversation with partners & customers • Achieve better alignment on how to select the

right problems & solution pathways“I found that going through the process and utilizing the tools presented was very helpful in discovering new solutions to an issue which our business has been dealing with for the past seven years.”

Feedback Survey, SPEED: Accelerating Growth through Innovation Workshop, May 2015

© BASF Corporation

Partnership with Getto Group

OUR STORY – SCALING UPCreating Space for Innovation and Growth at BASF

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6332014

7252015

7252016

7002017

~ 2,000 employees

Dec 2015: 1,350 employees

BUILDING FOUNDATION FOR GLOBAL INNOVATION ACADEMY

© BASF Corporation

NORTH AMERICA TRAINING STATS:

TIP 4: TO MAKE AN IMPACTFUL CHANGE, BUILD A SCALABLE CAPABILITY

OUR STORY – UNLEASHING CHANGECreating Space for Innovation and Growth at BASF: Creator SpaceTM

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BUILDING MOMENTUM WITH 150TH ANNIVERSARY

Celebrating our 150th Anniversary around the world

Festivities for employees, neighbors, customers and partners

Hundreds of celebrations

Numerous experiments with global co-creation (internal and

external)

© BASF Corporation

www.creator-space.basf.com

http://www.creator-space.basf.com/

http://www.creator-space.basf.com/

OUR STORY – UNLEASHING CHANGECreating Space for Innovation and Growth at BASF

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CO-CREATION FORMATS & METHODS

Science symposiaDesignathons

JammingIdea pitch

Idea contestCustomer co-creation

Emphatic designOpen Innovation online

challengeArt projects

and many other activities

© BASF Corporation

© ECSI Consulting


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SCIENCE SYMPOSIA

Innovation based on knowledge of chemistry and technology has been the motor of growth at BASF for the

past 150 years. In 2015, we celebrated important milestones in

chemical research from the revolution in food production

brought about through the Haber-Bosch process to our most recent

efforts to optimize energy efficiency. At the same time, we wanted to connect with leading

researchers to explore and discuss cutting-edge trends in science to

identify interdisciplinary solutions for future needs.

OUR STORY – UNLEASHING CHANGE

Where will the energy that we need come from?

What will the cities of the future look like?

How can there be enough healthy food for everyone?

© BASF Corporation

OUR STORY – UNLEASHING CHANGECreating Space for Innovation and Growth at BASF

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CREATOR SPACE MOBILE TOUR

During its Anniversary Year, BASF was hosting a globally travelling Creator Space to

connect experts, makers, initiatives and products to

discover solutions together and exploring the role of chemistry in addressing

local challenges all over the world.

© BASF Corporation


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CONNECTED TO CARE PROGRAM

For the first time ever, as part of the 150th anniversary activities, BASF created a global corporate

volunteering team contest called “Connected to Care”. 150

charitable projects were selected from more than 500 submissions

(teams of 2-5 people, external partners) covering the fields of Urban Living, Food and Smart Energy. Employees by voting

selected 150 projects to receive up to €5,000 and one day‘s leave

for project volunteering.


© BASF Corporation


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SOUNDS OF BASF

During anniversary year, more than 1,200 different sounds of BASF were

recorded by employees in 166 cities and 54 countries around the world.

Composer Michael Nyman (“The Piano”, “Gattaca” etc.) was inspired by these

sounds in composing his orchestral work. Water became the main theme of the composition, as many of the sounds

recorded are related to water, which plays important role in chemistry. For

“Symphony No. 8: Water Dances”, Nyman also used motifs he had

developed at an earlier point in time.


© BASF Corporation


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150 MOMENTS

Over 220 pages, readers can once again immerse

themselves in the anniversary year – for

example with impressions of the anniversary event in

the Philippines, the employee jamming in Texas

or BASF’s festive dinner in Turkey. The book also

provides a look behind the scenes of the anniversary

events.


© BASF Corporation


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THE DOCUMENTARY MOVIE

A documentary movie spanning the entire anniversary year was created to capture some of the most interesting, beautiful and emotional moments. The prize-

winning director, Thomas Grube and his team attended the

important activities around the world with BASF team and guests. The movie will be

premiered in Summer of 2016.


© BASF Corporation

TIP 5: UNLEASH THE CHANGE WITH A VISIBLE COMMUNICATION PROGRAM. BONUS TIP: INVOLVE CUSTOMERS.

REFLECTIONS AND INSIGHTSCreating Space for Innovation and Growth at BASF

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• Common purpose and space for everyone to contribute

• Focus on understanding problems and converting ambiguity into opportunity

• Leading from any position• Keeping eyes on the journey, while

cultivating “beginner's mind” in every moment

• Letting go of ownership and identification

• Change transforms those who lead it© BASF

Corporation

role of mindfulness in creating space for innovation and growth

Leadership & Management