Unless you are a hardcore chocolate aficionado, you most likely missed out on the celebration. Yesterday was World Nutella Day, with much rejoicing among Nutella's global community (over 31 million Facebook followers). But even if you are not a fan, this event is significant and noteworthy. So why should you care?

The answer has to do with the origins of Nutella. It was developed in Europe in the wake of WWII, during a time of profound upheaval and scarcity. Cocoa, the major ingredient in chocolate, was expensive and hard to find. Thinking creatively, Pietro Ferrero, an Italian confectioner, substituted hazelnut - a much more abundant and cheaper ingredient - into the formula. The result is the magical, creamy spread that is still one of the favorite sweets and breakfast essentials around the world today.

There you have it. From now on, take part in the February 5th celebrations, letting World Nutella Day be your annual reminder to see crisis as opportunity.

#innovation #futureshaper #creativity #leadership #crisismanagement #nutella #transformation

I am looking forward to hosting a session for McGill University's upcoming PowerSkills symposium next week.

This global event has a great theme: Courage Strikes Back!

#mcgill #innovation #futurelearning #learninginnovation #transformation #crisismanagement #leadership

Humor is a powerful antidote to adversity. Being able to laugh at the absurdity of extreme situations is healing, empowering, and provides a strong bond among us. The current crisis is no exception. Here is one of my favorite, comical takes on our new normal. It's a totally on point, fun satire in the form of a short advertisement by Snickers.

Take a look, and try to resist cracking a smile!  

Every company and leadership team - no matter how successful - operates within self-imposed mental boundaries, based on the old expression "You can't see the label if you are inside the jar". Taking the ‘6 Question Test’ is a simple, immediate way to expose your self-imposed boundaries.

Understanding the limitations revealed by your answers allows you to re-calibrate your mindset, leading to powerful, new insights for high growth, expanded relevance and strong customer attachment. This is especially critical during a period of extreme disruption, such as the current Covid crisis.

The 6 Question Test:

1) What animal would you pick to symbolize your company?
2) What business are you in?
3) Who are your most important competitors?
4) What is the starting & stopping point of a typical customer’s experience with your offering?
5) What should be the goal of innovation?
6) On a scale of 1 to 10, how closely linked is customer satisfaction to your company's future success?

Crisis Antidote: Lifelong Learning

Knowing how to continuously re-imagine, reinvent, and refresh ourselves is central to our ability to master uncertainty. This has been made all the more critical by the current crisis. I am actively focused on the future of Lifelong Learning, and spent time recently in Madrid with ThePowerMBA team - a fast growing pioneer in transforming adult education.
Here is my short conversation with Borja Adanero Guinea, one of the co-founders, on how they are disrupting traditional MBA programs:

https://lnkd.in/ewXbzWU