The Third Way of Innovation with LSP

Masao, who started working at a software company in the 1980s, first encountered LEGO's educational products during his MBA studies in Boston. After returning to Japan, he worked as a consultant in the field of science and technology education as a partner of LEGO education. He collaborated with MIT Media Lab and Tufts University's CEEO to promote creative STEM education. In 2005, he underwent LSP facilitator training and, starting with its promotion in Japan, co-founded Rasmussen Consulting Japan as a dedicated LSP company in 2008, together with his partner Takashi Hasunuma. In 2015, he became the first trainer in Asia and has since trained over 1,000 LSP facilitators

My Journey with LSP and "the Third Way of Innovation".

In April of this year, I attended Robert's "the Third Way of Innovation" post-foundation training, coinciding with the LSP Asia Community Conference. Up until then, my perspective on innovation was centered around the idea of creating something fundamentally new that would lead organizations, cultures, products, and services to the next stage. I believe many people share a similar view. However, "The Third Way of Innovation" significantly altered my perception of innovation.

NOTE: If you are unfamiliar with The Third Way of Innovation model, check out the latest version of the Gazette newsletter.

Step 1: Helping people understand the Third Way

Eager to apply "the Third Way of Innovation" in a corporate setting, I hosted three public workshops, each lasting seven hours, from the first to the third workshop. Participants included business consultants, innovation consultants, university professors specializing in innovation, telecommunications company executives, large corporate innovation center employees, recruitment consultants, and LSP facilitators. Participants in these workshops shared feedback such as:

"I could think about it in the context of my own work. It was a very practical and fulfilling workshop."

"I learned to use three different innovation strategies - Outside, Inside, Around - based on the business life cycle."

"Through lectures and exercises, I could identify which stage of the Third Innovation process I am currently in and what the key points are."

"Not only was the content enriching, but the facilitation and organization were also smooth and well thought out, providing a highly satisfying workshop experience."

Step 2: Piloting the Third Way approach with LSP facilitators

Up to the third workshop, I primarily aimed to help participants understand the concept of the Third Way of Innovation. Considering whether it was possible to conduct workshops that would take participants from understanding the concept to generating implementable innovation ideas using this concept, I immediately put the plan into action.

On September 24th, I organized an "Innovation Workshop to Elevate LSP Business to the Next Level" targeting LSP facilitators. With nine participants, the workshop spanned two days, with the first day from 10:00 to 19:00 and the second day from 10:00 to 18:00. This special event aimed to narrow down concrete, implementable ideas along the lines of the Third Way Innovation process, refine them further using Third Way Innovation tools, and bring them to a stage where they could be truly implemented. The resulting idea was the concept of an "LSP Café," designed to attract people unfamiliar with LSP and make them aware of its value through experiential sessions. The participants further developed this idea, eventually hosting an LSP Café in Tokyo on November 18, which saw the successful participation of five business users.

Click HERE to read the full description of Masao's journey with the 3rd way

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View the video of the coffee chat webinar about the topic

Wish you all a Happy Holiday season and the best for the New Year

Sincerely,