Liminality is about existing in transition, where uncertainty and ambiguity dominate. Innovation, at its core, is a liminal activity—organisations step away from established norms to explore new futures. But how comfortable are businesses with this uncertainty?
In this episode, Richard Walzer joins us to discuss:
Why innovation is inherently liminal—leaving the known to explore possible futures
The pendulum swing of innovation—why businesses drift between embracing and resisting change
How future-back thinking can help leaders avoid stagnation
The tension between Perform (stability) and Transform (innovation) in organizations
What Apple, Pixar, and Xerox PARC teach us about the importance of balance
How leaders can become more comfortable with uncertainty instead of reacting to it
As Martin notes: “Liminality is going to be a very constant feature.” If businesses continue to treat change as an on/off switch, are they setting themselves up for failure?
Episode Highlights
02:00 — Innovation as a liminal state—stepping away from the known
06:00 — Why businesses get stuck between the past and the future
10:00 — The pendulum swing of change—why organizations abandon innovation
15:00 — The 70/20/10 rule for balancing efficiency and transformation
22:00 — What Future-Back Thinking means for long-term resilience
35:00 — Why leadership struggles with ambiguity and liminal decision-making
50:00 — Why balance is about perpetual motion, not stability
💡 “The biggest challenge we have with businesses is they are generally laser-focused on what we are doing today.” – Richard Walzer
Follow Richard on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-walzer-25140715
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