Column Pieter Vos: A fresh perspec­tive

New ideas often spring from the deepest recesses of the human mind. One way to access there is through rigorous digging. By delving and experimenting, using solid knowledge and science as tools, you can achieve innovations. However, there's also a gentler approach to reach the part of the brain where creativity resides. The gateway? The creative thinking of others: it opens doors you didn't even know existed.

I enjoy visiting museums and art exhibitions. Art sharpens the senses. It challenges the brain to forge entirely different connections, stepping out of its comfort zone. I recently visited the Nxt Museum in Amsterdam, which left a profound impression on me. The interplay of technology and my presence meant I became an integral part of the artwork I was viewing. My reactions altered the art. Nothing was as it seemed, and what I perceived was differed from what others saw.

Seeing and understanding how others view the world helps me to broaden my own perspective. This often leads to new viewpoints and insights.

Too often, organizations attempt to innovate by gathering the heads of R&D, production, and/or marketing departments in a dull office cubicle for brainstorming. Wouldn't it be fantastic to do this completely differently from now on? To shift the focus? Not just digging, but giving creativity the space it needs?

The challenge: seek a different environment. Look for new collaborations. Observe what happens when you truly tap into the creative potential of your people. The results might surpass your imagination.

Pieter Vos
Director Nutrilab