Guest Thinkers — February 16, 2011

Videos – Two CEOs talk about innovation and the global economy

Scott McLeod

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Google CEO Eric Schmidt on American innovation (“that’s an example of fighting the last war”)

Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld on doing more with less (“yes, yes, and yes”)

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A soldier in camouflage uniform holding a Ukrainian flag stands amid rubble, facing a damaged building.

Books

How neuroscience is rewriting the story of war

In “Warhead,” neuroscientist and national security adviser Nicholas Wright explains how the brain navigates warfare and why it is our ultimate weapon (and instrument for peace).

Coastal Mediterranean village with white buildings, a sandy beach, colorful boats, and clear turquoise sea under a bright blue sky.

The Present

Seaflooding: How we could engineer the next Mediterranean

Bold megaprojects could turn dry depressions into thriving new hubs of life.

Black and white portrait of David Aaker, an older man in a suit and glasses, centered between artistic backgrounds of a handshake, grid, and abstract curved lines.

Business

The David Aaker interview: “Trust is vital and fragile”

The marketing guru outlines the current state of brand-building — and highlights four outstanding opportunities for the immediate future.

A stylized collage featuring an X-ray of human lungs above and a dandelion dispersing seeds below, set against green and beige backgrounds, evokes the easy, slack flow of breath and gentle change.

The Long Game

“Slack”: The key to resilience in a world that keeps breaking

In nature, business, and life, survival doesn’t belong to the optimized — it belongs to those with a built-in buffer.

A grid of connected translucent spheres on a light blue background represents network leadership, with one central sphere colored orange instead of grey.

Business

“Sense and respond”: How to harness the power of network leadership

The rapid crash of Nokia was triggered when key information gatekeepers became bottlenecks. Here’s the key lesson.

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