At a meeting in Rotterdam in October, Chairman of The Owls Foundation Henk van den Breemen presented former Prime Minister of The Netherlands Jan Peter Balkenende with a printed copy of Breakthrough: From Innovation to Impact, Volume 2, which was published in September 2018.

Mr Balkenende, who made the encouragement of innovation a priority for his government, was interviewed for Chapter 7, titled The Responsible Society.

His 6 ‘Lessons Learned’, which are included in Chapter 7 (The Responsible Society) are:

1. Always be aware of the DNA and the values of your organisation.
2. Use the creativity of your organisation and its people.
3. Try to make a connection between the Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change, the Circular Economy, the New Economy and the Moral Dimension.
4. If you have analysed things well and have the conviction to carry out reforms and implement new ideas, stick to them.
5. In order to be successful, especially when it comes to innovation, it is essential to cooperate with other organisations and sectors. Invest in new alliances with relevant stakeholders.
6. Leadership requires long-term thinking. In order to accomplish change, you need to develop a long-term view.

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