I cannot keep up with Allen's prolific live blogging efforts, so I thought I'd take a step back and try to make some connections in what I'm hearing and what I am thinking as we approach the end of BIF-2. Let me refer back to the three questions I posted yesterday morning:

+What is the real meaning of innovation?--The clear common thread running through most if not all of the storyteller talks is that the real meaning of innovation is about creating a better world, not in the Kumbaya sense of that phrase, but in an intelligent and focused fashion that leverages both essential elements of innovation activity: human imagination and the discipline of effective systems. Inherent in a focus on creating a better world is an awesome responsibility carried by the innovator is to be much more than a leader. Innovators must be stewards, not simply managers or creators, but orchestrators of diverse contributors and contributions toward a common good, whether that good is for a team, an organization, a region or for society.

I realize that for some of the business people reading this post, I may be offering an overly lofty way of talking about innovation. But if there is another key insight reconfirmed by the conversations over the last two days it is that language and the meaning it conveys matters, especially when it comes to something as important as innovation.

+What and where is the future of innovation?--Perhaps the most important frontiers of innovation are in the sciences and new technologies, and we have certainly heard from several excellent storytellers who are in the vanguard of those efforts. As someone who has enormous respect for science but less scientific literacy than is desirable, I urge all leaders to build their understanding of the new developments in science and technology. Being conversant in the trajectory of new ideas in these disciplines (as well as their intersections) is a supremely important capability for the 21st century leader.

Whether continued American leadership in innovation is a part of a realistic future vision remains an open question for me. We have many advantages, yet we face many obstacles as well, and chief among them at this time is the continuing challenge of engaging in productive and generative discourse around better and more effective ways to make innovation happen. The BIF-2 Collaborative Innovation Summit is a marvelous venue for creating this kind of dialogue by convening diverse minds who share a common goal: sustainable innovation that creates a better world. If we can have many more conversations like this one, we will drive our nation toward genuine success.

+What are we discovering about innovation that we didn't know before?--I'm still reflecting on this question, so let me instead write a few words on things we know about innovation that are not in dispute. We have repeatedly talked about the importance of personal and collective passion to the pursuit of innovation, as well as the fundamentally social nature of innovation. We have been reminded that innovation is not always about the big breakthrough. It can and should be about the small "aha" or the small "i" innovation, just as much as the big insights. Curiosity, care and the connectedness of ideas, people and groups are all elements of innovation we have spent time considering with our storytellers. These are important lessons for all of us to remember, even as we turn our attention to larger issues.

All innovators revel in the words of Marcel Proust who said, "the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." What I have learned, re-learned and unlearned in the last two days here at BIF-2 will help me see the world through new eyes, and I hope the perspectives the other bloggers and I have shared here will help you do the same.

We had a few technical difficulties this morning, which is why we weren't able to live blog the first group of storytellers. Each was excellent, but I particularly enjoyed Frans Johansson, author of The Medici Effect. Now, I admit I'm a bit biased because I've met Frans before, I've interviewed him before and I really like his book. But every opportunity I have to hear Frans speak renews my personal inspiration for the pursuit of innovation in my own work, because his interest in innovation flows from a personal curiosity for the subject matter, as well as the varied influences that have shaped his own life experience. His authentic connection to innovation resonates with me deeply.

Frans's book has been out for a couple of years now, so you're probably familiar with it. But if you haven't picked it up, you should. (FYI-it is now out in paperback.) The core message is that unexpected possibilities emerge from the intersections of different cultures, disciplines and ideas. It makes intuitive sense to anyone already connected to innovation, but it is a critical message for business leaders to internalize as they strive to build strong organizations for the future.

PLEASE NOTE: I'll be posting a podcast interview with Frans in a few hours, so keep watching the blogjam.