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The Impossible Network

028: Beth Comstock on Curiosity, Creativity and Courage.

Jul 2, 2019
01:18:03

A change maker inside NBC, the instigator of Hulu, a driver of innovation and the first female vice chair of GE, best selling author of Imagine It Forward, is this week’s guest, Beth Comstock.


In this expansive episode, we discuss the impact of her upbringing on her propensity to embrace ambiguity, be a accelerate digital transformation inside traditional organizational structures and inspire teams through her curiosity and imaginative mindset. 

  

With candor and thoughtful introspection Beth discusses the challenge of being introverted and overcoming her innate shyness as she grew her reputation and stature as a provocateur of innovative action taking and bold decision making inside traditional business structures.


I hope you enjoy this episode of curiosity, creativity and courage with industrial change-maker Beth Comstock. 



What we discuss 

The push and pull of influence of her father and mother

How she combines core characteristics of both parents 

Her introversion and its impact on energy

The difference from shyness 

How her curiosity fueled her

How her parents nurtured her innate curiosity

The role of play in her upbringing and driving her imagination

She explains how her competitive nature was apparent from an early age

Documenting her ambition aged fifteen years old

The desire to build a career in journalism 

The resilience of early rejection 

The struggle with her lack of confidence versus her persistence and stubbornness

Diane Sawyer impact 

Where serendipity impacted her life

Witnessing fear inside GE of early to mid career managers

Passion for creative courage

Recognition that her difference was her strength  

Her concerns over how we are preparing our children for the future

The issues with the curriculum and lack of creative problem solving

Job crafting 

Field Trips 

Her NBC experiences 

The Five Elements of the Book

  • Self Permission 
  • Discovery
  • Agitated Inquiry 
  • Power of Storycraft 
  • Creating a new Operating System 

Her advice - get used to living in the in between

‘Figure it out’ classes

How she views curiosity

Beth’s ‘Just Start’ Mantra

What advice Beth would give under 30 Beth 

Her “Gap’ Year and writing her book

We discuss emergence in our ambiguous world

Following Gut vs Data 


Social Links 


Facebook 

Instagram 

Linkedin

Twitter 


Links In the Show

Diane Sawyer 

Three Mile Island 

21 Rules for the 21st Century 

Brooklyn Maker Space 

Sixth Sigma

Ecoimagination

OODA Loop

Imagine it Forward 

Hulu

NBC Universal 

Michael Ventura

SubRosa 

The Looming Tower 

Sam Harris Podcast What Jihadists Really Want 

Walter O’Brien on Tim Ferris Show 

Bibblio

Twila Sharp The Creative Habit 



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