Bert Zethof's blog

The TEDx Victoria 2011 speakers came from diverse fields of interest to speak to the theme of cultivating evolution. I believe that by paying attention to the ideas of life-affirming thought leaders, we will see the outline of a solution to our world’s most difficult challenges. This likely explains the popularity of TED talks.

CreativeMix 2011 in Vancouver BC was an inspiring place to be on November 3^rd.  Eight speakers, including a costume designer, photographer, artist, video game producer, ad agency creative director, actor/writer, architect, and social psychologist shared their thoughts and techniques for sparking creativity. 

How to make innovation every employee’s responsibility was the topic of discussion at a recent Surge Group Breakfast Dialogue. Often organizations can’t get on the road to innovation because their people are blocked by the thinking of the past.

To discover the open oceans, one has to be willing to lose sight of the shore.

Photo source: Kindle website

With the success of electronic wireless reading devices like Amazon’s Kindle we may soon see the end of the bookstore as we know it.

At least one analyst estimates sales of 2 million Kindles in 2009. It is Amazon’s top selling electronic item this holiday season surpassing even Apple’s iPod Touch (8GB).

The George Washington Sundial, Lexington, Kentucky

I’ve lived through more than half a century of Christmas holidays and I’d say my sense of the rhythms of the season is ingrained now. (Being raised a Christian, I celebrate and share in the joy of Christmas).

Yesterday, I committed to installing tiles on our bathroom floor. I find it difficult to motivate myself to get started on renovation projects, but once I get going and see the results, I find them quite satisfying.

What usually happens, though, is that a project drags on for weeks or months because I get distracted. Someone invites me for lunch, one of my kids asks for a ride, it’s time to visit a relative, and so forth. Then I have to motivate myself all over again to restart the project.

In a teleconference where most of the participants are present in person while others are on the phone, it’s easy to forget the needs of those on the phone.

They don’t have the advantage of seeing the meeting dynamics, of reading body language, or possibly even being able to attach names to faces. It’s even harder if they aren’t given any context for the meeting in advance.

Remember to:

• distribute an agenda stating purpose of meeting in advance

Photo by Bert Zethof
Nanaimo, BC

Photo by Bert Zethof
Stuart Channel between Vancouver Island and Saltspring Island