Andrew Whalen

It’s five words that make me grind my teeth and clench my fists. It’s often repeated, casually thrown around, and accepted as if it’s a natural and obvious part of life – and it’s absolutely false. In my line of work I am asked to change organizations, and one of the first questions I get…

Now more than ever we need to consider the idea of a basic income for every person on our planet. The idea of a basic income has been decried by some as ‘socialist’ or ‘communist’ and the most destructive idea to hit the world of capitalism. And yet others praise the idea as a panacea…

There remains in our day and age an overwhelming urge to focus on efficiency. Whether it is a major corporation, a government ministry, or a small business, everyone is urged to focus on doing more with less. The unfortunate result of this constant drive to diminish everything down to the absolute minimum is that more…

The first question I’m asked most often as an innovation consultant is: “What is your standard approach?” The people I meet are interested in knowing how other people have been successful with innovation, and in turn, they want to know how they themselves can be successful. It’s understandable, and it’s logical. Unfortunately, it’s also absolutely…

Much has been written recently about the value of compassionate leadership. The research studies keep piling up, the experts have spoken, and the management journals are full of its praises. And yet with all the evidence (and not to mention common sense), why is it that many of us still seem to work in organizations…

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that life in most large organizations sucks. Why? Although it’s the year 2018, most large organizations still employee human resource and organizational governance practices that stem from the start of the industrial revolution, and that have barely been updated since the 1950’s. Most managers still exercise ‘control’,…

Desired Role: Innovation – Creating the right business and technology structures and spaces to enable change and growth in line with the passions, talents, and aspirations of employees, customers, and the business. Dear Madam / Sir, I am someone who doesn’t fit well into narrow role descriptions, and my view on employee / employer relations…

For many people it may seem like a funny question, and yet for others their first instinct will be that ‘the answer is obvious’. And yet in the world we currently live in – one that is experiencing exponential technologies and innovation, the answer to this question has never been more important. For many leaders,…