Accidental Discoveries

Many ideas surface in the strangest ways, often when they are least expected. Sometimes they seem to pop up almost by accident. The accidental discovery is triggered by chaos and contradictions, rather than by order and logic. When open-minded people read, listen or watch, they often find things that catch their eye, leading them off into other areas of enquiry.

Serendipity

Serendipity is your → attitude and aptitude for making unintended discoveries by accident ‒ habitually... More

In → business , serendipity can be developed as a → corporate capability and become a source of → competitive advantage ... More

Open Mind

Be a student, keep an open mind. Be observant, keep your eyes open at all times. Look at people, business, processes, nature and everything else with no fixed ideas. with no judgment. They are all doors to inspiration and new discoveries... More

The Power of Your Cross-Functional Excellence

The broader your net is, the more fish you catch.

If you build broad cross-functional expertise, no idea will be wasted! Your mind can accept only those ideas that have a frame of reference with your existing knowledge and comprehension. It rejects everything else. If your → knowledge is functionally focused, you'll be open to new ideas related to your functional expertise only and will miss all other → learning and → innovation opportunities.

If you develop a broad cross-functional expertise, no new idea will be wasted. It will immediately connect with the existing knowledge and will inspire you, → energize  you, and encourage your serendipity and  → entrepreneurial creativity ... More

 Examples of Accidental Discoveries and Inventions

Many famous discoveries and inventions were made due to an accident. Among them are Archimedes' Principle, Newton's Law of Gravity, X-Rays, Radioactivity, Champagne, Coca Cola, Cornflakes, Dynamite, Microwave, Penicillin, Plastic, Potato Chips, Post-it Note, Saccharin, Safety Glass, Teflon, Velcro, Viagra, Vulcanized Rubber  and many other... More