The Power of Building Collective Fields of Creation

Conversation with Dr. Frank Douglas, Executive Vice President, Aventis Frankfurt Höchst Germany July 28, 2003 Interview by Otto Scharmer

I. You observe. You then form hypotheses. And then you perform experiments

And, basically, that's what I do. I spend a lot of time observing. Then I form a few hypotheses and then I design some experiments, which I implement and learn from.

II. Keep building the road as you go

But I do not start off with the complete picture of how every stretch of that road should be built. That is not my starting point.

III. Between two worlds: arts and science

Yes, I was right in between these two worlds and in fact couldn't decide for a while whether I would be in the arts stream or in the science stream.

IV. Sensitivity to both worlds: science and management

Both for the basic science work as well as for the clinical aspects, which, as a manager, I would just interpret as a sensitivity to what it is that makes scientists do the things that they do in an organization?

V. A small research group turns into a hub for innovation

Look, let's give this eighteen months. If I can't turn it around in eighteen months, get someone else.

VI. Leadership as seeing

I have a sense for individuals who have this capacity to grow and who will think differently when given the opportunity.

VII. Take two to three months and just observe

... the CEO, said, you know, I want you to take two, three months. You don't have to start running R&D right away. Take two to three months and just observe...

VIII. Hoechst MMD and Aventis

I have a responsibility to myself and to my family, but I have a larger responsibility to all of those individuals to whom I can contribute something?

IX. My first meeting: after ten minutes a block of people walked out

..And so I said: Okay, this is what I've just learned and I will do the following. I know you guys believe that Americans are lazy, they don't want to learn a foreign language. And you're probably right. I will do the following. I will publicly try to learn German.

X. Transforming Hoechst Marion Roussel

You can design it any way you like. I insist on having an external panel of scientists to judge - you can choose the members of the panel. I don't have to choose them. I can have a veto, but you can choose them.

XI. Leading by creating hubs

First, Who are the people who have the information, the experience, the expertise? Secondly: Who are the people who will have to live with the consequences of whatever we decide? And thirdly: Who are the people who are the real change agents?

XII. A defining moment

Günther, in such a situation, one cannot win. So we are not going there to win the debate. In fact, we're not even going there to have a debate.

XIII. Putting together platforms of innovation

This is one of the cases where I used a consultant, because the consultant, again, took me out of it and worked with the scientists around processes.

XIV. Project teams as innovation ecosystems

for us, the project team is the ecosystem. Because within the project team, you have the many disciplines operating and working together.

XV. Corporate social responsibility

... improving the quality of life of mankind ...

XVI. Reconnecting the two streams

The second part has to do with how you create an environment in which people want to come to work.

XVII. Leadership as collective artform