A seasonal story to inspire some New year's innovation (re) thinking...

On a cold Christmas Eve, Jimmy Weston sits in a crowded wine bar with a crushing email in his pocket: his family business’s biggest customer has just walked away. Facing the "rocks" of potential bankruptcy and the weight of three generations of legacy, Jimmy is visited by three "ghosts" who offer more than just nostalgia—they provide a blueprint for radical reinvention.

In this podcast, loosely based on Charles Dickens 'A Christmas Carol' , we explore some of the challenges around innovation through a different lens.

Whether you’re a business leader facing a "winter" of your own, an entrepreneur looking for a spark of New Year inspiration, or just looking for a good read this story is a reminder that the "pony" is always hidden in the pile—you just have to dig!

Why does innovation often feel like awkward "dad-dancing" at a party? Because repeating success requires more than just luck—it demands disciplined innovation routines.

This podcast uses the metaphor of dance to explain how organizations create value from ideas through practiced, shared behavior patterns , from searching for opportunities to developing prototypes. But the "music"—the external market environment—is constantly changing. When new technology or new rules emerge, static routines will fail.

That's why organizations need 'Dynamic capability'—the meta-skill to step back and deliberately review, refresh, or completely replace their existing routines.

We look at companies like 3M and P&G, who have maintained success by constantly upgrading their deep-seated routines. P&G famously shifted its routines to source 50% of its innovation externally, adapting to a changing landscape.

We also examine two humanitarian heroes: Field Ready, which augmented its high-tech 3D printing routine with local, low-tech skills for co-creation , and Translators without Borders (TWB), which switched from a manual, in-person model to a high-speed crowdsourcing platform.

The lesson is universal: build strong routines, but build the dynamic capability to change them when the market demands a new move. Watch to learn how to choreograph your long-term success!

(You can find a transcript here)

We're in something of an 'invention crisis'. On one side, you have the latest futuristic gadgets—like a stringless AI guitar or a robot cat that cools your coffee. On the other, you have millions who still lack basic human needs like healthcare, clean water, and shelter. This podcast challenges the direction of modern ingenuity and showcases why hopeful innovation dedicated to social good matters most.

It showcases powerful examples of necessity-driven solutions, including "frugal innovation" success stories, like the model that made cataract surgery affordable for all (Aravind) and the Mark 2 handpump that changed the game for clean water access (UNICEF).

We explore systemic innovations like CMAM (using PlumpyNut) that fight acute malnutrition and the simple 'plant in a box' that decentralizes oxygen supply for pneumonia.

And we look at how modern technology is applied for good—from Zipline delivery drones to Community Health Workers (CHWs) using mHealth platforms to close critical care gaps globally.

Innovation is a precious resource. Watch/listen now to explore the difference between novelty and necessity, and be inspired by the people and organizations actively creating a better, more equitable world.

You can find a transcript here