(Wisdom + Action)(Art + Science) = WAAS, this all about

Over the last 6 weeks I have been fortunate enough to be on an adventure to connect, learn and grow to develop as a leader. In particular I am trying to become a better impact portfolio venture creator, producer, and leader to positively connect historically marginalised communities.

What does the mean in reality I am not entirely sure but thankful to be supported by Westpac Scholars to be on this journey to find out!

I will try and summate some key moments and learnings below, a lot to cover from Perth, India, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Bristol, London and Geneva. If you want the summary - I got AI to do it for us at the bottom!

I have two frames I would like to share my current thinking in. The first being Wisdom and Action. Thanks to Daniel Almagor and the Small Giants Academy for opening my eyes to this that has been such a wonderful way to place my thoughts and feelings. True development for me is the journey of wisdom and action.

Wisdom :

• The power of meaningful friendships with everyone to form connection. Thankful to be on the ground in India with Navjot Sawhney - you can read more here about that experience. My main take away is around human lead product innovation on a global scale.
• The collective power of the SEWF - Social Enterprise World Forum C.I.C. community “If it’s hard to find a seat at the table, create your own table”( Ellen Brudet , Colourful Goodies, Netherlands) The fun tension between the current state and future utopia state - how do we get there?
• Being mind blown at scale and depth of companies like Booking.com thanks Philip Chan for taking me around. How testing is at the core of a good product.
• The unexpected, being introduced to Gerrit Bruggeman and his generosity for connecting networks. Radical leadership and friendships explore over some fritz with Ben Croxford PhD MEI C.Eng .

Action:

• Dreaming and writing - making space to do this. I have walked lots - gone to some proper weird exhibitions and had some random yarns. This has been the most refreshing and nourishing
• Riding a bike - There is saying for this I can’t recall but for me taking the training wheels off and just getting out there has been so rewarding.
• I gave the Amsterdam Marathon a go- More to come on this but thanks Kirra Johnson Mike Tozer and Eloise Hall for the help with this.
• Exploring Nature and Nature on long the beach and incredible Bronwyn Bate . Being in nature and dreaming is beyond powerful.
• Being able to prioritise learning and development, thanks to my incredible leaders Shayne Herriott and Lucas Patchett OAM .

So then what about Art and Science - I really love this frame too that shows up so much in my life.

Art:

• Exploring emotion in art and design. Being able to explore galleries and learn from creatives at the Dutch Design Week - thanks Dutch Design Foundation .
• Riding around with Jasper van den Berg and exploring art and action in reality. From Fiction Factory , Wikkelhouse , eco farms, and introducing me to another hero Arne Hendriks . How art can be used to move us from the current state and thinking to the future realities through powerful emotion and creativity. Understanding my own canvas and mediums and looking to test future canvases and mediums in the future.
• Auroville - if you have not heard of this place it is pretty interesting! Spent a day meditating and exploring the wonders of imagination and action. Check out this incredible Matrimandir

Science:

• The power of play! I get goosebumps thinking about the sounds of people from all ages playing and learning. Hearing people play at NEMO Science Museum and immersing themselves in science was awe inspiring.
• A lot of methodology and (a few canvases) with Patrick Van der Pijl - learning about Innovation Playbooks from BMI. How the business model canvas can be used for portfolio management and ecosystem plays. A reminder of the importance of focusing on the bigger picture, blending business and design, seeking external help, and delegating tasks.
• The importance on research - awesome to spend time and see life through the incredible minds of Arianna Petra Watson and Julia- Anna Maier
• How food is epic - melted cheese in Geneva is yummy, chips in Amsterdam are serious and how a home cooked meal from Nav’s mum is what the world needs.
• Got to get in a few tractors and a backoe #motion

Thanks to my trip advisors in particular Lauren Hill and Sam Mendelsohn

I also managed to finally get a polaroid from the Emirates staff accepting I am a child!

Lots more to come, thanks for making it this far.

Here is the AI summary.

Over the past 6 weeks, the author has been on a journey to connect, learn, and grow as a leader, with a focus on positively impacting historically marginalised communities. Key learnings include the power of meaningful friendships, the collective power of the SEWF community, the importance of testing in product development, and the value of dreaming, writing, and exploring nature. The author also emphasises the intersection of art and science, exploring emotion in art and design, the power of play, and the importance of research and methodology.