Every so often you meet people in innovation who really understand what it’s about. I mean : really understand. Inevitably one of the questions that I ask is what’s their background?

After the second or third time asking this question I gave up being surprised by the answers. Inevitably those that are passionate about innovation have had the most interesting backgrounds.

For instance a friend who used to be the Head of Innovation at one of the worlds largest phone companies (and who reported into the CEO), used to spend time teaching waterskiing.

A colleague in Holland used to be a marine biologist and study human-dolphin interactions. Curiously enough this is also what I started out training for at university.

Why is this?

(Actually it’s because dolphins always look so damn happy with their little perma-grin. And they get to surf all day at some of the worlds best beaches if they like. But I digress.)

It’s because if you are content with following the path you trained for at school or university or where-ever, then it means that you’re not that curious about the world. Those that are naturally interested in a whole range of things tend to move jobs/countries/professions every so often. When they start finding out about the sort of creativity that goes into innovation roles, they’re hooked.

What’s more they are usually amazed that they can get paid to do the sort of work which makes their brain hum until steam comes out their ears.

I was talking to a guy at an innovation lab in Sydney and he used the term ‘corporate refugees’.

I like it.

If you’re stuck in a beige cubicle reading this, and wondering if there is more to life in the business world, then why not apply for asylum?