The Olympics are like inspiration on steroids, said a friend of mine the other day. A leadership coach by profession, he was describing a training workshop where the trainees were asked to divide themselves into groups and select a name for their team. Out came the names immediately: Team Phelps, Team Bolt, Team Douglas…!

We all love a champion! And nothing brings this to the fore better than the Olympics. As we have witnessed during these exhilarating weeks of London 2012, the performance of each star Olympian becomes a conversation point and quite literally a celebration during the games. I am certainly no exception.

As corporate leaders around the world seek to build sustainable businesses, there is no doubt that innovation lies at the heart of the solution. But there is a nagging question that’s been cropping up in the debate: Does experience kill innovation?

Looking back at my student days, I remember a fairly linear and one-dimensional pursuit: Study hard, get good marks, go to college, get a good job...you get the drift.  Solving problems in society were mostly theoretical discussions over endless cups of chai in the college cafeteria or, at best, participating in a protest march.

I truly enjoy chatting with young professionals. Their point of view is so refreshingly different that it compels you to question your own. On my way back from New York last month, I met a spirited young woman who made me do just that. I had stopped at the airport bookstore to pick up some in-flight reading.