Empowering Small Nations to Thrive Among Big Players.

Last week I was honored to join the President's Forum in Bled under the theme of Leadership in AI: 'Empowering Small Nations to Thrive Among Big Players.'

During this event we also announced the official establishment of Bled Institute for Leadership in Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (BILDAI) through a innovative partnership with IEDC - Bled School of Management and Roche Slovenija .

Here are my key takeaways on the advantages of how smaller nations thrive through collaboration, innovation, excellence, adaptability, and courage.

Collaboration: Mastering the Craft of Working Together

Small or "right-sized" is a huge advantage, and an opportunity as it forces you to collaborate with others. Collaboration has 2 distinct and rational advantages:

1. Diverse Perspectives: Collaboration exposes you to different perspectives, helping you see the forest beyond the trees. Bringing together various fields enables new insights.
2. Cost Efficiency: Collaborating dramatically reduces the fixed and marginal cost structure of innovation as you can share resources. Many existing algorithms are royalty-free, making collaboration a cost-effective approach. If you're a small country, don't reinvent the wheel if it's freely available; instead, reuse and repurpose.

At the same time, when you solve a unique problem, share it with the world. Your size is your advantage, as problems are not unique, but your ability to innovate faster is a gift to share with larger nations.

Short-term vs. Long-term: Focusing on Impactful Solutions

The path to success for small entities lies in nurturing a culture of idea generation. In the short term, foster a mentality where no idea is deemed unworthy. Encourage brainstorming, as innovation often sprouts from the most unexpected places.

However, to make an impact, one must sift through these ideas and prioritize ruthlessly. In this sense smaller entities become masters of prisonization through the lens of feasibility and impact as the guiding principles. They "get" resources and brain-power are limited and an idea should solve a genuine problem, one that people will appreciate being addressed. Moreover, the scale of the problem matters; the more regional and personal it is, the more likely it is to resonate with the customer.

To tackle these problems effectively, artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool, as long as it operates within the moral, ethical, and legal framework.

Institutions: The Need for Flexibility

When creating new institutions and organizations to drive ecosystem innovation it's crucial to maintain flexibility. Traditional institutions often become overly controlling, stifling creativity and empowerment with a multitude of rules and boundaries.

One inherent challenge with institutions is their tendency to reduce empowerment as they grow. The key to success lies in the hands of those who remain flexible. Flexible institutions, marked by their agility in forming partnerships are adept at uniting people in distinctive and productive ways. Flexibility allows for adaptability, which is vital in a rapidly changing world.

Elevating Standards: Setting a Higher Bar for Excellence and Impact

In the world of small nations, the pursuit of excellence takes on a unique dimension. These nations, while compact in size, recognize that their impact must be substantial. As they strive to make a difference on the global stage, the standards for excellence are elevated. In essence, it's a paradox—small in scale, yet aiming for excellence on a grand scale. This emphasis on high standards becomes essential, as it underscores the unwavering commitment of small nations to create a lasting impact in an ever-changing world.

Closing on Courage: The Catalyst for Change

In the quest for innovation and progress, courage is the key ingredient. It takes immense courage to step into uncharted territory, to be the pioneer. When tackling significant challenges, there's often hesitation and fear of failure, which can be paralyzing.

To overcome this, one needs the courage to take the first step. Leaders, organizations, and individuals must have the fortitude to invest in innovative ideas, even if there's a risk of failure. This shift in culture is essential to foster innovation.

In conclusion, it takes an idea, a courageous leader to provide seed funding, and the support of many others to nurture this courage.

The courage to innovate, to challenge the status quo, and to lead the way is what propels small entities, whether countries or companies, to compete and thrive on the global stage. Courage, coupled with collaboration and flexibility, is the path to success in an increasingly interconnected world.

Barbara Domicelj Igor Rudan Stjepan Oreskovic et al.,