Training Management Executives to ‘…think like CERN!’
IdeaSquare has a unique training programme for C-level managers and Business School trainees on how to embrace ‘uncertainty’ as a key capability for future organisational and product innovation. We call it: ‘Thinking like CERN!’
Why?
Our world has become highly non-linear and unpredictable, and small changes may have vast consequences (butterfly effect). Thinking in terms of ‘orders of magnitude’ instead of ‘incremental progress’ is an essential tool in meeting high levels of uncertainty. At CERN, we created the LHC under exactly such conditions, since if we had implemented state-of-the-art technology at the time of its design 16 years ago, the LHC would have been obsolete before its first operational run.
In our Executive Training Programme, we will share with you how uncertainty can be managed, and why big decisions should be taken on the basis of reasoned scientific calculation, not speculation. Here at CERN, we will show you how this approach leads to visionary impacts.
Each Executive programme is tailored specifically to the intended audience, but follows a clear pathway.
Curating the IdeaSquare experience. Matching need & expectations of the trainees and the training programme to the deep dive delivery.
Activity: For each Training group (Executive trainees or Master-level students), we will co-create the deep dive with IMD to deliver a programme that is targeted in terms of the group’s sector, background & experience, as well as the specific needs/challenges of the organisation/students and the place of the IdeaSquare training within the context of the IMD Management Programme. We will ensure that trends, examples and approaches used during the deep dive, connect with the sector/Master-level and the (management) style of the group. The comprehensiveness and level of depth of the training programme will be adjusted to the available time that the group will spend at IdeaSquare.
Expected outcome: Clearly defined learning goals, and a group-specific training programme.
Learning to 'think like CERN'. Taking lessons from experimental physics to innovation. Includes 'orders of magnitude thinking' and laternal thinking challenges.
Activities: The deep dive is a combination of presentations, practical challenges, exercises and evaluations to let trainees experience the relevance and power of exponential thinking apply ‘order of magnitude calculations. Trainees will identify ripple effects from (un)intentional actions in an increasingly non-linear and unpredictable world. In other words: trainees will learn to ‘think like CERN’.
The deep dive is based on experiential and transformative learning principles developed and tested at IdeaSquare.
Expected learning outcome: Application of exponential thinking and order of magnitude calculations to identify long-term strategic innovation goals.
Visits to CERN experiments and meeting members of the scientific community. Exploring the CERN campus and its breakthrough experiments. Exchange with CERN scientists.
Activities: The trainees will be taken to several on-campus scientific Experiments to see how exponential thinking has been put into practice at CERN. Specialist guides will be available to explain how through collaborative iteration, complex technical problems and technology choices are made in an environment that is highly dynamic. Specific visits may include: CMS Experiment, Antimatter Factory, Computing Centre (incl. birthplace of www.), LEIR/LINAC).
During the trainees’ stay at IdeaSquare, one or more networking events (incl. dinner) will be organised on-campus to allow direct interaction between the trainees and key CERN physicists. The aim of these meetings is to foster informal discussions on the implementation of ‘CERN’s approach to breakthrough innovation’ and its possible application in business environments.
Expected learning outcome: Create a strong visual understanding of the translation of exponential thinking into tangible instruments and actions for (open) innovation.
Sharing the findings & turning insights into action. Open discussion on connecting the IdeaSquare learning experience to organisational innovation challenges and ambitions. How to turn ideas into action innovation.
READ MOREActivities: The IdeaSquare team will moderate an in-depth session where the trainees discuss how they could implement the learnings into forward business planning. Not only will we challenge the trainees to consider their sector/business ambitions in the context of long-term dynamics, but also place ambitions in the wider framework of global societal development goals. The trainees should use the learning experience from the deep dive to identify strong drivers for breakthrough innovation, and define an initial pathway to start the process of actually innovating.
Expected learning outcome: Application of deep dive learning experience to the trainees’ own environment, resulting in discussions and arguments based on the scientific calculation method, and identification of action points.
TESTIMONIAL
Our annual visit to CERN Ideasquare with our EMBA Digital Leadership program is a major highlight. It profoundly transforms our executives' perspectives, expanding their minds in significant ways. Thanks to the inspiring sessions and hands-on workshops at Ideasquare, our students quickly shift their thinking from "If... then" to "What if...". It's impressive to witness and an unforgettable experience for many which lays the foundation for the creative, innovative mindset we aim to cultivate throughout our EMBA program.We are especially grateful to Pablo and his team for their impeccable organization, wonderful hospitality, generous knowledge-sharing and ingenious experiential learning environment.
If you wish to learn more about the Executive Training programme at CERN IdeaSquare, please send a message to executive-ideasquare@cern.ch
