East Meets West

A few weeks ago, I was in China at the invitation of my friends at the Chinese Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong (CELAP), located in the outskirts of Shanghai, to present a lecture to thirty high-level government officials. I had been given a daunting task: provide key decision makers in the world's fastest growing economy some new ideas on how governments can create "fertile ground" for innovators in industry, communities, and even the public service itself.

Over a memorable afternoon (at least for me!), we wrestled with what innovation is, what motivates innovators to act, and the lessons that history has to teach us about what works and what doesn't. Before a spirited Q&A session, we talked about the historic role of government in creating innovative societies and some of the best contemporary examples of innovative governments in action around the world. Luckily, I had lots of great ideas to draw on including some groundbreaking work that my friend Geoff Mulgan, now head of the U.K.'s Young Foundation, developed while working as a strategy guru in the Blair government.

Invitations like these are a great way to highlight the Heinz School's long history of breakthrough thinking about innovation and its impact on government, industry, and communities around the world. It also gives me a chance to further develop Heinz-Australia's growing partnerships with high profile organizations, like CELAP, in the "triangle" from the Gulf States to Asia to Australia. My discussions with two of CELAP's key officials (Mr. Jiang and Dr. Bai pictured) will further expand our ability to recruit students, develop executive education offerings, and create stronger ties to one of the world's most fascinating and influential regions.