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Friday, March 11, 2016

Dave Evans: What Innovation is Not




“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10

What constitutes innovation from a Christian perspective? Innovation is a term widely used, but how does it line up with a sense of calling? Too often our concept of calling is stagnant and confined by individualism. In truth, calling is the Holy Spirit actively, continually calling out into our lives, guiding our work. This calling – of walking with the Spirit through the heartache of failure and the joys of entrepreneurship – journeys us through the redemptive work that God has designed for us. Stanford professor and former tech executive Dave Evans will tackle what role the Holy Spirit plays when it comes to our imagination, and how our intuitions and longings can help us both discern and actualize the work we’re created for.

Dave started his third career teaching "How to apply the innovation principles of design thinking to the wicked problem of designing your life" in the Stanford Design Program in 2007. His first career was a failed attempt to solve the energy crisis in the late 70's - a drastically premature venture. Dave's second sojourn was 30+ years in Silicon Valley including 15 years of insider roles, like leading the early mouse and printer projects at Apple and co-founder/VP of Talent at Electronic Arts. In 1990, Dave shifted to outsider doing a range of work, from management consulting to growing tech firms, large and small. Dave holds a BS and MSME from Stanford and lives with his wife Claudia and the dogs, Jack and Daisy, on the coast in Santa Cruz.