Not only is it possible, it is indispensable. Disruptive ideas must have practical applicability and be feasible. Autonomous cars, for example, are an example of disruption, and that idea is far from being recent. To reach the end goal, the industry is pragmatically taking one step at a time, first increasing customer assistance.

First cruise-control, then an emergency braking system and later automatic parking…

We will come to see more and more assistance until the driver is no longer necessary. That is the pragmatism necessary to implement the most disruptive ideas. From a financial point of view, it wouldn’t be viable to transform all cars at once or exclusively produce autonomous cars. In what concerns safety, we best test various technologies interactively until the combination offers what is intended and required.

The same can be applied to our customers. The NOC project is an excellent example of that – implementing a highly disruptive project with a pragmatic approach (while still sounding a little crazy).

Tru-ly paralysed, no. Or maybe my memory has been wiped - which could have happened – or I can’t remember a dramatic situation.

However, there have been a number of times (this will be familiar to many of you reading this) where we are in meetings or workshops with clients and all of a sudden everyone looks at us and expects us to lead the session when in reality we went to listen and learn.

At this point, the ability to question and be alert to answers in order to question more is the only way. Of course, questioning about himalayas tea for box-chess players (yes, it exists, and interestingly it’s a combination of box with chess) might not be the best strategy. When all else fails, which has also happened, nothing like assuming that we were not prepared for the session and not repeat the situation.

Even when we “don’t think much”, our actions aren’t that thoughtless. They are in fact the result of our experience and logical reasoning. If we act without thinking too much, it’s either because we’re crazy, or because somehow we trust our experience or “instinct”. However, experience or instinct may in fact be biased because we have a different background and result in something unexpected.

If we don’t have experience or any instinct for the action, then I believe few are those who act without thinking. Besides the fools who live in the world of luck.

Back to the question, if the action was successful, survival is easy. If not, I try to understand how I could of done it differently. That’s important for continuous growth.

The hardest are those actions directly related to people’s feelings. An action with less reflection and with impact on others, especially those who are closer to us, is always harder to get over. I must admit, I’m not the best person at getting over it. Therefore, and because it has happened to me and with it I have learned, I have a catalogue of actions that I try to avoid.

I don’t think it’s any more scarce than it was in the past centuries. It is in fact greater. In reality, solutions arise every day for problems we didn’t even know existed. And for every problem we know exists, we end up finding various ways to solve it.

What happens is that there can be too much pressure for immediate results and that discourages a wider search detriment to the first solution found. That doesn’t mean divergent thinking doesn’t exist, simply that isn’t always a priority.

I’ll let the experiences be shared over a few drinks.

Depends on the (probable) consequences. If possible, I help with the reflection with a “Are you sure?”. If it’s something that will help the other person grow, let them have it.

Pessimist: Even if the light at the end of the tunnel is a train, it’s better to do everything you can to turn around than to speed up.

Optimist: Even the biggest predator to inhabit the planet ended up extinguished by something that couldn’t be controlled.

Frantic optimism can be reckless and caution is something that pessimists typically have lots of. Too much caution pushes us away from disruption. However, too much optimism turns off pragmatism (see the connection to question 1?) . Optimism is what takes us forward, pessimism is what allows us to be alert.

With the reflection and introspection this interview required, I think I’m most probably a terrible optimist most of the time.