Counterintuitivity

Innovation is a lazy industry word. Often but a label for yet another leadership ambition, another consultant-driven program. Innovation has ceased to be a positive force for change. To reverse this, we need to leverage its design and value creation free of the tyranny of profit and efficiency. By designing with more meaning, and not only for iteration, disruption and predictability.

Mario Van der Meulen's nine counterintuitive behavioral principles will inspire entrepreneurs, executives, consultants, designers and innovators on the front line in virtually any industry to enact positive change in the creation of innovation. Are you ready to act as a catalyst for meaningful innovation and design action? Only those that can pioneer new ways of proposing more meaningful possibilities will warrant the reputation of being true innovators, keeping our innovations and designs human. In fact, these will then become more meaningfully human.

Innovators, entrepreneurs, and designers usually have a pragmatic and instrumental relation with the future. However, our attempts to construct the future in rigid, process-driven methodologies, like design thinking, is mostly leading to the reproduction of known thinking and meaningless ideas. Now that the tech, consumer, and design fields are converging, Mario Van der Meulen believes we need to make a mindset shift to create a future that looks more human by tech, and not less because of it.

To evoke meaning and broaden the outcomes of our innovations, we need new ways of seeing, thinking, understanding, and acting, to intentionally embrace the richness of possibilities. Surprisingly, it is often by doing that what seems counterintuitive. New ways of thinking and working - even the ones that feel counterintuitive - are the kind of things a design mind should love to experiment with!

If it is unclear exactly how leaders may influence perceptions of meaning for their colleagues, clients and stakeholders, these nine counterintuitive behavioral principles will inspire leaders to enact positive change in the creation of innovation. Only those that can pioneer new ways of proposing more meaningful possibilities will warrant the reputation of being true innovators, keeping our innovations and designs human. In fact, these will then become more meaningfully human. Are you ready to act as a catalyst for meaningful innovation and design action?

Designer. Strategist. Speaker. Author. Graphicdesignosaurus. Formerly as creative director at Frog, and currently as a Principal Designer at Foolproof, Mario Van der Meulen discovers, designs and delivers experience design principles. He is an ambidextrous designer/strategist with over 25 years of international experience, based in Singapore. He brings an exceptional ability and passion for the intersection of product, service, brand and strategy design. He contributes to the measurable success of agency operations and the impact of consumer-facing products and services at scale. With a proven ability to develop meaningful experiences for users and brands - to the benefit of both. In 2010, CBS Weekly recognised Mario as "One of Fifty Innovation Design Pioneers in China". A recent Foolproof project received the 2018 IDC Smart City Asia Pacific Awards (SCAPA). An avid keynote speaker, workshop facilitator and a writer on Creativity, Change and Design Mindset, he has delivered over 150 speeches and creative sessions in over 20 countries on 5 continents. To find out more, be inspired in the areas of creativity, change or design mindset, or if you are interested in connecting with him to book a speech or workshop (now or in the future): mvdm.me mvdmpublishing.com linkedin.com/in/mariovdm twitter.com/MarioVDMeulen instagram.com/oiramnavred

"From Mario's Counterintuitivity, I see a designer's honesty and elegance in his journey to create meaningful innovation. His principles help me reflect my own journey trying to deliver purposeful innovation in this ambiguous, volatile world."
- Jean Lin, Global CEO Isobar (isobar.com)

"In a time of well-trodden paths of groupthink and overused business buzzwords, it's exciting to read how we can go against the grain to arrive at unexpected destinations. Mario has poured a lifetime of thinking into this fascinating treatise on battling cookie-cutter innovation. Every page turns into a new perspective on how to look at the world and celebrate curiosity in our work and lives. A major achievement."
- Chris Jones, ECD, Author "The Axis Of Success" & "The UX Of Me"

"In Counterintuitivity, Mario gives us a thoughtful, well-informed set of ways of approaching this complex and wide-ranging subject called 'Innovation', demonstrating the power of creative leadership with a focus on social value through meaningful interactions."
- Scott Allan, Author "Do It Scared", "Empower Your Fear" & "The Master Of Achievement"