Drowning in information – five ways of changing your information diet

Purpose – Magnus Lindkvist draws on his experiences as a trendspotter to highlight some of the ways that those suffering from information‐overload can tackle the relentless stream of information that needs to be processed on a day‐to‐day basis, in order to work and communicate more effectively. Design/methodology/approach – Outlines five ways that every executive can improve his or her information diet in order to filter out nuggets of insight from the ocean of information. Findings – Strategy is built by insights. If you want those building blocks to differ from those of your competitors, you need to design a unique information diet for yourself and as we all know, the mind once widened by a new perspective never regains its original proportions. Practical implications – Provides tangible strategies that busy executives can adopt to enhance their effectiveness in the workplace. Originality/value – The big challenge every executive faces today is how to navigate this steady stream of noise and weak signals not only to find new business opportunities but also to create a portrait of the future that they can lead others toward.