Brilliant at somethings, bored senseless by others? Want to know why?
Brilliant at somethings, bored senseless by others? Want to know why?

Or why you got on like a house on fire with some people, yet others are so irritating and frustrating, that working with them (or living with them) is like fingers nails scratching on a chalk board.

Or why some parts of your business were not great at execution but superb at generating ideas, while others were the reverse.

Brilliant at getting things done, but no deviation please.

Well the Kirton Adaptor Innovator theory may be able to answer these questions for individuals, and for organisations.

Watch this episode of Riot Point TV to learn more

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Iwan JenkinsComment
Poor communicator? Don't worry. It's not your fault. But here's how to fix it.
Poor communicator? Don't worry. It's not your fault. But here's how to fix it.

Been in a presentation so boring that you wish the presenter had given up the will to live?

Or been exasperated by emails which go on and on, screen after screen, but never come to the point?

Or worse, have you feared that ’tis you who is the drab presenter or the tedious typer of text.


Don’t worry, you’re not to blame. 

So whose fault is it and what can you do about it?  

Well I’ll tell you on this edition of Riot Point Radio

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Iwan JenkinsComment
The two most important words in marketing are......?
The two most important words in marketing are......?

And as children, we weren’t excited by the meat and two veg.

“What’s for afters?” we cried.

Likewise our customers are begging with us, pleading with us, to answer to that very same question. 

While we’re boring them with exotic descriptions of the meat and two veg, they’re shouting, “What’s for afters?”

Find out how to answer that question

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Customer R&D®, Communication, BrandingIwan Jenkinscommunication, brandingComment
Your best work is ahead of you--if you do this.
Your best work is ahead of you--if you do this.

You should be getting better and more valued with experience.  Who wouldn’t want people banging on their door seeking their advice and ideas. Or people placing orders for what you are offering—and happy to pay the higher prices. 

But as well as being more valuable to others, your batteries should be being charged continually too.   You have to tick both boxes.

And here’s a simple guideline that I’ve seen deliver these results.

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Iwan Jenkins Comments
Forget logic. It's emotion which kicks off action
Forget logic. It's emotion which kicks off action

George knows that logic stimulates thought, but it's emotion that jump-starts action.

Well he didn't, but he does now.

He is in his mid-50’s and by any measure, especially a tape measure, he is successful. 

He displays the fruits of his success around his waistline and gives proof to the saying, travel broadens the behind—especially if you’re doing it in business class.

George resolved to keep success on his bottom line, and not his bottom.

“I have to go to the gym,” he said, “but though I can rise an hour before dawn to visit a customer, the thought of pumping out press-ups at 06:00 leaves me stone cold.”

You see, for all the logic on the benefits of exercise, it didn’t put enough fuel in Georges tank to get him lifting barbells while the sparrows were still sleeping.

What happened next? Listen to Riot Point Radio to find out...

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Iwan Jenkins
It gets emotional riding the rails
It gets emotional riding the rails
I’ve just finished working on a job that took me to the heart of downtown Toronto for several weeks. To save time and parking money I decided to use public transit although I’m usually more inclined to take the car, particularly when not working in the urban core.
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Simon LuntComment
From Silence to Screams: Feedback loops in the Simple Domain
From Silence to Screams: Feedback loops in the Simple Domain
I have come to think of the Simple domain as the Enabling domain. However, most of our clients enjoy the excitement of the Complex domain, and dismiss the Simple domain as necessary though dull, but this is too shortsighted. If we manage them correctly, activities in the Simple domain enable us to spend more time and resource in the other domains, but if we get it wrong, there are huge negative consequences that can disable the resources allocated to growing and driving the business. Consequently, the greater the negative impact of failure of Simple systems, the greater should be our vigilance in ensuring that sensors are in place to pick up weak signals and hence avoid catastrophe. We don’t often talk about weak signals in the Simple domain, but I believe they exist.
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Simon Luntcomplexity, complicated, cynefin, feedback loops, simpleComment
Extracting value from Fear and Loathing
Extracting value from Fear and Loathing
About 12 months ago, I attended an early morning meeting whose sole purpose was to approve a short list of strategic options. Based on bravado over the bacon and eggs and the strong opinions regarding the ‘follies’ of certain investments, I was looking forward to a hearty debate prior to exultant agreement. However, within minutes it became clear that the dawn bluster was all wind. I think the phrase from the home state is, “big hat, no cattle.”
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Simon LuntFear, dissent, feedback, problem solving, ritual, stress inoculation Comment
Cynefin - a time management and productivity tool?
Cynefin - a time management and productivity tool?

The thirst for easy fixes to the challenges of time management appears unslakable. I have no doubt that for some, the act of seeking and tinkering with the latest ‘getting-things-done’ (GTD) tool/philosophy/process is an addiction. It affirms we all seek efficiency without compromising effectiveness. And in a minor example of exaptation, the Cynefin framework has the potential to be a useful tool in this pursuit.

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Simon LuntComplex, chaos, cynefin, leadership, simple, strategyComment
Curing growing pains with Cynefin
Curing growing pains with Cynefin
How does a successful entrepreneurial organisation deal with operational growth pains without losing its ‘soul?’ I have been working with an Asia-based family owned business that markets health products through retail outlets. The business has grown considerably since starting 15 years ago (revenue of $2bn), and has ambitions to grow further. However, certain aspects of the operation are failing to keep pace with the market opportunities and the ‘rapid and flexible’ decision making processes of senior management. Application of the Cynefin framework in concert with the Kirton Adaptor Innovator (KAI)Theory provides useful insight into the possible contributors of the conundrum, and some possible practical choices about its resolution.
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Simon LuntAdaptor, Innovator, KAI, Kirton, cynefinComment
Beware the "Flavour of the Month"
Beware the "Flavour of the Month"
Last year we were part of the team that launched an exciting new initiative in a major industry in North America. The initiative was tested on a small part of the market with handpicked customers and when it received high marks it was rolled out to the wider market where it was also enthusiastically received. But the offering almost faltered because one unit of the company was not delivering the product correctly. Significant components of the service were not being included and this meant that the core benefits of the new offering weren’t there. So what was happening? We discovered that the offending unit of the company considered the new program the “flavour of the month”. The front line employees who were charged with delivering the new offering didn’t believe in it. This business unit was sceptical of the company’s commitment to changing so fundamentally even though the CEO had made it quite clear that this offering was central to the company’s future growth.
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Simon LuntComment