DangerMouth: The Innovation Station

Mike Conroy

The podcast that takes you on the long and dangerous journey from the siloed foothills of inventing things to the yawning abyss of reinventing society. Each week we take a subject related to innovation and set off on a verbal stroll to see what wonders unfold. read less

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Episode 19: We fought the Law and the Law won

Episode 19: We fought the Law and the Law won

Special guest Olly Buxton (A.K.A. "The Jolly Contrarian") leads Mikey and Darrell through the ossified entrails of the Legal Establishment in our first outing into its echoing dusty halls. The Law is an edifice so vast, so powerful and so ancient that waves of changes bounce ineffectually off its granite walls. Even granite does not last forever. Rest assured that despite the dark tones of formality, we remain steadfastly jolly throughout. Olly is as well read as Darrell (i.e. off the scale) and is an excellent font of future enlightening tomes. Refs: https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=Seeing_Like_a_State James C Scott's Seeing Like a State https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=Systemantics:_The_Systems_Bible John Gall’s Systemantics: the Systems Bible which is absolutely hilarious https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/09/ai-monkeys-paw/ Cory Doctorow on Generative AI and copyright https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=The_Death_and_Life_of_Great_American_Cities Jane Jacobs on modernism Rory Sutherland on Eurostar https://youtu.be/iueVZJVEmEs?t=373 Rory Sutherland's excellent book https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=Alchemy:_The_Surprising_Power_of_Ideas_that_Don%E2%80%99t_Make_Sense

Episodes

Episode 19: We fought the Law and the Law won

Episode 19: We fought the Law and the Law won

Special guest Olly Buxton (A.K.A. "The Jolly Contrarian") leads Mikey and Darrell through the ossified entrails of the Legal Establishment in our first outing into its echoing dusty halls. The Law is an edifice so vast, so powerful and so ancient that waves of changes bounce ineffectually off its granite walls. Even granite does not last forever. Rest assured that despite the dark tones of formality, we remain steadfastly jolly throughout. Olly is as well read as Darrell (i.e. off the scale) and is an excellent font of future enlightening tomes. Refs: https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=Seeing_Like_a_State James C Scott's Seeing Like a State https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=Systemantics:_The_Systems_Bible John Gall’s Systemantics: the Systems Bible which is absolutely hilarious https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/09/ai-monkeys-paw/ Cory Doctorow on Generative AI and copyright https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=The_Death_and_Life_of_Great_American_Cities Jane Jacobs on modernism Rory Sutherland on Eurostar https://youtu.be/iueVZJVEmEs?t=373 Rory Sutherland's excellent book https://jollycontrarian.com/index.php?title=Alchemy:_The_Surprising_Power_of_Ideas_that_Don%E2%80%99t_Make_Sense

Episode 18: The Shadow Hierarchy

Episode 18: The Shadow Hierarchy

This is the first episode where we delve into Darrell's 6 Pillars of Innovation Wisdom, focusing on Complex Systems. We look at the 6 elements of a simple basic complete system before adding complexity into the mix. We discuss the importance of leaders understanding their organisation as a system and how there is always a delta between the official hierarchy where accountability lies and the shadow hierarchy where the power lies.

Episode 17: The Wow Factor

Episode 17: The Wow Factor

Entrophy, authenticity, diversity vs expediency, lettuce vs leader. In which Darrell tries to stop a closed system from becoming more random. How do you think that went? You be the judge? Dame Dash Kochland Lizz Vs Lecttuce

Episode 16: Flyings Lambs

Episode 16: Flyings Lambs

Back in 2023 I crash landed my kayak onto Great Blasket Island, perched out on the far-flung edge of Western Europe. Luckily for me I was swept up by Emily "The Caretaker". Darrell and I chat to Emily and Dan about what they learned and how they see the future. Daily Mail Daily Mirror TV Show Certified: Contradiction Free (He He)

Episode 15: William of Bodmin

Episode 15: William of Bodmin

Mikey and Darrell chat with the creative writer, cabinet maker and refugee from the Midlands William Draycott. Resident of the ancient town of Bodmin in Cornwall's brooding moorlands. The theme is stories. But you know how it goes by now. Links We are Systematic Innovation The only innovation company on the planet Cornish Cabinet and Joinery Co

Episode 14: Bonus Track: The Woodcutter Story

Episode 14: Bonus Track: The Woodcutter Story

The story omitted from the episode.

Episode 14: Strategy

Episode 14: Strategy

An erudite Darrell, augmented by Shana's cookies of wisdom, lay out the 6 components of strategy for all to see. Mikey tries his best but cannot quite derail the process. Links: Definition of Strategy (SIG,OST) Winners and How They Succeed 1. Complexity Extreme Ownership Zone to Win 2. S-Curve Jumping the S-Curve 3. Directionality 4. Contradictions 5. Immutability 6. Measure whats Important

Episode 13: No customer, no frustration, no Innovation.

Episode 13: No customer, no frustration, no Innovation.

Notes from the Innovation coalface; from our guest Costas Papaikonomou who has been there and got the T-Shirt. Costas also gives advice on investing in eco startups and insights into how often super intelligent people skip the fundamentals and waste brainpower on irrelevant detail. Also; another annoying example of how the Dutch speak English better than the English. About Costas https://www.linkedin.com/in/costaspapaikonomou https://grumpyinnovator.gumroad.com/ The Big Con: How the Consulting Industry Weakens our Businesses, Infantilizes our Governments and Warps our Economies

Episode 12: Branding Systematic Innovation

Episode 12: Branding Systematic Innovation

Special guest Kathleen (aka Trinity) tries to fathom out Darrell (Morpheus). Will she take the Red Pill, the Blue Pill or bring out the Yellow Ribbon? Links: Kathleen Crandall

Episode 11: Eleven Million Case Studies

Episode 11: Eleven Million Case Studies

Darrell and his team have amassed 11.5 million cases in his quest for the 41st principle, what's the story? AND; Why does Darrell rate Neil Ferguson and not Yuri Noah Harari. Cape Cornwall What got you here wont get you there Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us TRENDNA Understanding populations better than they understand themselves.

Episode 10: Ritual

Episode 10: Ritual

We intended to have the theme of ritual and environment vs receptivity and and got lost in Bullet Ants, Mormons, Cookies, The Matrix, Immutibility, Soccer Referees and Stand Up Comedians. All the usual. There was some serious stuff hidden in the middle if you like that sort of thing. Something for everyone! https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001wqlr

Episode 9: Grit

Episode 9: Grit

Stormy seas separate spark and success. 98% of innovations fail along the way. Stormy seas are just one hurdle to overcome when paddling a kayak around a country. Are there parallels? Lessons to learn? Two veterans of the watery world, John Willacy and Jon Hynes share their hard-won insights. John Willacy #33 - John Willacy - The Strategy of Speed John Hynes Retro Trip #88 - Jon Hynes - Wild Atlantic Warrior

Episode 8: Beyond Democracy

Episode 8: Beyond Democracy

Democracy is creaking at the seams. Is there a better system waiting in the wings? Mikey and Darrell seek the Ideal Final Result! Book: More from Less Opinion: Minimun Viable Politician Opinion: None of the Above

Episode 7: Human Immutability

Episode 7: Human Immutability

Unchanging people in a changing world, why do change projects fail? Darrell and Mikey are joined by anthro-complexity guru and cowgirl Shana Finnegan to help rope this tricky steer. Book Referenced: Thinking In Systems: A Primer Donella H. Meadows, "It could take years to learn this way of the world, but if you read this book you will learn this in hours. This book is not an engineering book and it is unfortunate that Donella gave it such a bland engineering-oriented name. This is a book of philosophy and life learnings. A book about complexity, written with Zen-style simplicity and brevity yet every word is packed with meaning. You read this book not because you want to learn about "systems" (who cares about that?!) but you want to learn about why things don't always work out the way you want them to." Jonathan Stanford Yu

Episode 6 Part 2: Desert Island Disco with Guest Darrell Mann concluded

Episode 6 Part 2: Desert Island Disco with Guest Darrell Mann concluded

Darrell has to pick which of the 8 tracks to take with him... Track List Right Off - Miles Davies The Glowing Man - Swans Somewhere Everywhere - Keith Jarrett (Trio) Your Bright Baby Blues - Jackson Brown First We Take Manhattan - Jennifer Warns, Stevie Ray

Episode 6 Part 1: Desert Island Disco with Guest Darrell Mann

Episode 6 Part 1: Desert Island Disco with Guest Darrell Mann

Host Mikey delves in the life story of Darrell, finding out which music tracks he would like to take on his personal desert island. Tracks Man from Mars - from the soundtrack of the film Grace of My Heart, Kristen Vigard Summertime in England - Van Morrison The Rainbow - TalTalk

Episode 5: The Plausibility Test - Plotting the end of Humanity

Episode 5: The Plausibility Test - Plotting the end of Humanity

In which Mikey and Darrell try to come up with the storyline of a thriller, the next Times No. 1 Best Seller Somewhere along the way, they lose the plot! Who could have predicted this? The Singularity Is Not Near Haier’s self-evolving organization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_to_Great

Episode 4: Systematic Innovation - Where's the Buzz?

Episode 4: Systematic Innovation - Where's the Buzz?

Darrell and Mikey try and fathom out the reasons that systematic innovation is not widely adopted in its time of need. Mikeys law of cakes. The Culture Wars explained in a new way.

Episode 3: Trust

Episode 3: Trust

What is the connection between the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers and Darrell? Just how traumatised is Mikey after being scammed out of £7000? and more... The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers Antifragile The Swedish Take

Episode 2: Future Learning

Episode 2: Future Learning

In which Mikey and Darrell ponder the uncertain road ahead for education. What advice would you give your grandchild?