2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Seizing Novel Opportunities

Like a Prince of Serendip

Being Serendipitous

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Navigate sentimentally into the changing winds

With a “mindful Heart”

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

A 'silly’ Fairy Tale?

- Have you seen my camel?

- Blind in the right eye?

- Lacks a tooth?

- Lame and crippling?

- Carrying butter on one side?

- And honey on the other side?

- Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! Where is she?

- What have you done to her?

Emperor Behram of Serendip sends his three sons

(three princes) traveling to discover the world.

Along the way, they meet a camel driver.

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

A 'silly’ Fairy Tale? Not at all

Camel driver takes them to Court and Emperor to judge

After providing explanations, they get acquitted

- Grass cropped only on left side of road

- Blind in the right eye?

- Bits of chewed grass scattered across the road

- Lacks a tooth?

- Footprints of one foot dragging

- Lame and crippling?

- Ants on one side of road

- Carrying butter on one side?

- Flies on the other side of the road

- And honey on the other side?

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Serendipity: Accidents & Sagacity

Ideas

Objects

Intuitions

Knowledge

fragments

Experience

Expertise

Craftsmanship

ACCIDENTS

Multiple Encounters

SAGACITY

Creative Act

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Known Serendipitous Discoveries

- Forgot one of the petri dishes on the shelf

- mold contaminated the bacteria he was studying

- Realized that the mold killed the bacteria

- Understood he had stumbled into a breakthrough – new antibiotic

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Known Serendipitous Discoveries

MinoxidilDeveloped to treat high-blood pressure,

but prescribed against hair loss.

AspirinIntended as an anti-inflammatory but

widely used as a preventative measure

against heart attacks

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Known Serendipitous Discoveries – Guess!

Originally patented (in 1886)

for medicinal purposes, as a

nerve and tonic stimulant,

and a cure for headaches.

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Known Serendipitous Discoveries – Guess!

Mid-eighties• Pfizer begins a research program into angina

• (disabling heart condition from insufficient supply of oxygen to heart)

• An active chemical compound was isolated (sildenafil citrate)

• Commenced clinical trials and trial results proved disappointing

• But, some ‘accidental’ side effects in toxicity trials

• So, Pfizer decided to commit another $340 million to the project

• Repeating Phase II clinical trials using impotent men as a target group

• The drug’s effectiveness was, this time, beyond doubt.

• The Food and Drug Administration approved ___ in March 1998.

• Net present value over $6 billion

• What was the Drug? Guess!

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Process of Serendipity by Lawley &Tompkins (2008)

Serendipity: How It Works

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

Serendipity: How It Works

Search

ContingencyPrior Knowledge

Serendipitous

Discovery

Serendipity in Opportunity Discovery (Dew, 2009)

Systematic

ExplorationPre-Discovery

Spontaneous

Recognition

2014 National AMCOR-EBRD Conference, Bucharest, RomaniaJune 2nd 2015 Conference Speech “Your Ithaca”, Kiev, Ukraine

1 Searching for Differentiation, but gaining Certification

2 Probing for Renewal & Recertification,but ending Serving

3 Solely Serving, but also receiving Leads

4 Attending Conferences, but also invited for Speaking

5 Speaking at Conferences, but also invited for Training

Professional Serendipity Cases in Point

A Landscape of Serendipitous Potential