On a Monday like this, everything seems to slow down inside my skull. Both the left and right hemispheres seem to be pushing their way out. It’s subtle, but the pressure is noticeable. Painless, thankfully. But not without effect.
Living in a country where the new year comes twice a year has advantages. Two times new year resolutions. Two holidays filled with energy and exotic experiences – skiing in Hokkaido, hiking through Vermont – coming back to the lab full of courage, laptop in my backpack, 1001 plans for the next period.
Like a Pollock painting, ideas scatter through my brain, in my fantasies the patents are on the desk, partners are lining up, children proudly show their parents what they have achieved with my products.
With in the background: doubt. What am I doing? What have I started? How do I get where I want to be? Does my idea exist at all?
After some reflections on our trip to the USA, the word “robustness” came to mind again today. Robustness is an interesting phenomenon, or better, an epi-phenomenon. It is a Jenga tower that becomes more stable along the game. Eliminated indispensability. Selected through evolution, it is – consciously or unconsciously – a core objective in the humanities as well. And therefore also applicable to organizations. Mine too.
Robustness must therefore become my goal. Partners and colleagues products, customers – my company needs to be integrated into the market and society by so many cables that it itself becomes a pillar. But how?
Written on February 18, 2019