At a meeting in Rotterdam in October, Chairman of The Owls Foundation Henk van den Breemen presented former Prime Minister of The Netherlands Jan Peter Balkenende with a printed copy of Breakthrough: From Innovation to Impact, Volume 2, which was published in September 2018.
Mr Balkenende, who made the encouragement of innovation a priority for his government, was interviewed for Chapter 7, titled The Responsible Society.
His 6 ‘Lessons Learned’, which are included in Chapter 7 (The Responsible Society) are:
- Always be aware of the DNA and the values of your organisation.
- Use the creativity of your organisation and its people.
- Try to make a connection between the Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change, the Circular Economy, the New Economy and the Moral Dimension.
- If you have analysed things well and have the conviction to carry out reforms and implement new ideas, stick to them.
- In order to be successful, especially when it comes to innovation, it is essential to cooperate with other organisations and sectors. Invest in new alliances with relevant stakeholders.
- Leadership requires long-term thinking. In order to accomplish change, you need to develop a long-term view.