Greetings.  It's the end of another week and another chance to take a break from your work routine to discover some of the remarkable genius in the world around you.  If you happen to be in Washington, D.C., this weekend, you might enjoy the USA Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall and a number of other locations around town.  This event is designed to inspire young people to see the wonder of science, technology, engineering, and math with amazing exhibits, presentations, and demonstrations that bring these fields to life.  And the timing couldn't be more critical as the U.S. struggles to maintain its creative mojo.

In case you've missed the news, a shrinking number of young people are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math and that fact does not bode well for our long-term competitiveness as a nation.  So efforts like this–aimed at making these disciplines hip, compelling, and even entertaining–are important for kids of all ages…and might even spark your own innate sense of curiosity and possibilities.

But if you're not playing to be in town this weekend, why not use this occasion to visit your nearest science museum?  And allow yourself to be excited by the power of discovery and its role in the success of your company or organization.  In fact, why not commit to finding one or two brilliant ideas that challenge you to think differently about the products, services, and solutions you offer.  Ideas that provide a window on how to be more valuable to those you have the privilege to serve.  And while you're at it, why not invite some of your colleagues to join you?  

And since your ongoing business success is all about adapting to and capitalizing on change, the following video–which I first saw about two years ago–might help to jog your thinking about the imperative of innovation… 

We win in business and in life when we open our eyes to a world of new ideas, innovation, and possibilities.  And when we seek to discover the information that matters most.

Cheers and have a fun weekend exploring!