Cheryl Kiser at the WildHearts Global Entrepreneurial Leaders Conference
We are thrilled to share that Cheryl Kiser will be speaking tomorrow and Thursday at the WildHearts Global Entrepreneurial Leaders Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a charity operating in 40 countries, WildHearts empowers entrepreneurs everywhere. They see entrepreneurship as the leading force of social change – so who better to partner with than Babson, the leader in Entrepreneurship, and Cheryl, who sees social innovation in a new way.
As WildHearts Founder and Chairman Mick Jackson writes: “It’s my belief that people are good, you just have to give them a credible way to express it. In fact, many of the most committed, compassionate people I know work in the business environment. So why is it that ‘business’ has been associated with perpetuating so many of the world’s problems? Why can’t we work together to channel our vast resources and talents to pioneer solutions? I believe that business must evolve to play a crucial role in the fight for economic justice. Can you imagine how different our world would be if the business community resolved to get serious about solving poverty? ”
In service of this mission, they will feature what she and representatives from Deloitte, RBS, PwC and more have to share with their constituents. So what is her message? Cultivate cognitive ambidexterity. Entrepreneurial Thought & Action is all about applying different ways of thinking to a problem/opportunity at the right times. For instance, you have to understand logic to create sustainably, and creativity is vital to push the boundaries of logic and enable innovation. In Babson speak, it’s a combination of Prediction (managerial thinking) and Creaction (entrepreneurial thinking). With this approach, you start to welcome the environment around you, and realize that no matter how much they disrupt your “plan”, surprises are good! Once you have been faced with a challenge and conquer it, you now know something someone else doesn’t and can use that as an undeniable competitive advantage. “The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do.” – John W. Holt Jr.
For more, check out the interview with Cheryl below.