#147: Engineered Serendipity, Epistemic Luck & the Second Arrow Problem
3 Ideas in 2 Minutes on Luck and Success
I. Engineered Serendipity
Engineered Serendipity merges two seemingly contradictory things: the planned (engineering) and the unplanned (serendipity). It hinges on the idea that “luck” can be helped along by creating an environment conducive to fortunate events. When researching the phenomenon in the context of the workplace and conferences, social scientists found a formula for creating serendipitous encounters:
[A]n effective encounter depends on the degree of common knowledge shared by the individuals. We find that scientists who attend the same conference are more likely to learn from each other and collaborate effectively when they have some common interests, but may view each other competitively when they work in the same field. Hence, when designing opportunities for face-to-face interactions, managers should consider knowledge similarity as a criteria for fostering more productive exchanges.
—Jacqueline N. Lane et al., Engineering Serendipity
The concept is reminiscent of Richard Wiseman’s work on The Luck Factor. The experimental psychologist suggested that luck is the result of our thoughts, habits and behaviours and therefore a learnable skill.
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