A balancing act: Innovation Lessons from Nik Wallenda

Inspiration from a high wire artist for innovators

Pic by Jake Brusha

You might ask yourself; what does daredevil Nik Wallenda have to do with the likes of Uber founder Travis Kalanick? After watching his performance live right from the Leo Burnett building, I can definitely say a lot. Here are some lessons that this high wire artist can teach about upping our game and embracing risk.

Balance progress and stability: when Nik Wallenda was crossing the Grand Canyon, he noticed that the wire had become slippery due to gathered dust. That was the first of three stops he made due to changing weather conditions on his way to achieving a new Guinness record. Last night, it took him about six and a half minutes to walk the wire from the Marina City tower to the top of the Leo Burnett building. Innovation, like walking the wire, it’s not about speed but a balancing act. When scaling a project, understanding when to speed-up scaling a project or when to slow down to watch for changing conditions, is critical for success.

Have a Purpose: Nik Wallen…