Beyond the Familiar: What a Venetian Tower in Crete Can Teach Us About Innovation

What can a Venetian tower in Crete teach us about innovation?

This photo was taken at the top of a Venetian tower overlooking the harbour in Chania, Crete, during my summer travels.

For me, it captures a feeling of openness, freedom, and the joy of discovering something new.

Crete sits at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia, close to Libya. Over centuries, those influences shaped its culture, architecture, and identity, making it a uniquely rich and layered place.

It made me think about innovation.

The most interesting ideas often emerge when we step outside our familiar world and allow different perspectives, disciplines, cultures, and experiences to inform one another. 

My travels through Europe were a reminder of the value of challenging assumptions, making unexpected connections, and looking beyond what we already know.

We do not always need to travel far to do this. We can “travel” beyond our usual frame of reference by seeking out new voices, exploring unfamiliar approaches, and bringing together ideas that do not normally meet.

That is where uniqueness can begin.

Where might you step outside your usual perspective today? What new possibility could emerge?