"MILLENNIUM FALCON" IS NOT THE ANSWER IN ABU DHABI

Dr Muller looked at me with a puzzled expression. I could tell she understood the words. Perhaps she’d just never heard them put together like that.

No, Millennium Falcon is not zee answer.

But a visit to Dr Muller’s Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is such an other-worldly experience, the Star Wars reference isn’t too far from the truth. Besides, it was all I could think of when our group was asked if we could name a type of falcon.

Cue awkward silence.

Without missing a beat, Dr Muller was off again with her heavily accented spiel about the intriguing Emirati tradition of falconry.

TODD SAMPSON CLIMBS LIKE HILLARY. THINKS LIKE EINSTEIN.

Image borrowed from businesschic.com.au.
Where they got it from I really don't know.

I love conferences. Especially good ones like Schmart Marketing in Sydney last week.

Great talent. Fab venue. And excellent canapés.

The highpoint for mine was Todd Sampson’s presentation which, even though it was titled Combining creativity, idea generation, leadership, culture change, Earth Hour, problem solving, innovation, climbing to the summit of Mount Everest, bravery and adventure, was really about fear.  

The central theme being that fear of the unknown, of failure, and of looking bad have led to plummeting creative IQs in business. Successful businesses and leaders, however, almost by definition, know how to manage creativity and these institutionalised fears.

As Todd puts it, he’s successful not because he’s braver than anyone else (he has climbed Everest, mind you), but simply because he stays brave a little bit longer than those around him.