Why Innovation Is Booming and Always Has Amid Crises

Disasters and crises have lead to some of our best innovations–just look at the history behind ATMs… We often hear the expression “Build it and they will come.” With innovation, a more accurate statement is “Eliminate a pain and they will come.”  The ultimate success of the automatic teller machine (ATM) is a great example of this. The story […]

Why Your Best Innovation Ideas Might Come From Nature

Don’t just look to other companies for inspiration, look in your backyard… Here in the United States, it’s Memorial Day Weekend. A time when we are outdoors enjoying nature. Maybe this is a great time to find some new innovations. Expertise is often the enemy of breakthrough thinking. The more you know about your company, […]

Invisible Solutions Audiobook Available

I am thrilled to announce that the audiobook version of Invisible Solutions: 25 Lenses that Reframe and Help Solve Difficult Business Problems is now available. You can buy it on Audible, Amazon, Audiobooks.com, or any number of places around the world. Given the current situation, we are all struggling with more challenges than ever. Now is […]

My Amazing Race to Brazil

Have you ever had a trip that felt more like you were a contestant on The Amazing Race? That was the case for me a few weeks back when I was scheduled to be the keynote speaker in Brazil at a marketing conference for 1,500 people. This turned out to be an adventure that looked […]

Innovation Minute #20: Expertise is the Enemy of Innovation

We continue with the “Shift” part of the FAST Innovation Model (Focus, Ask, Shift, Test). In today’s video I share why expertise is the enemy of innovation. Yes, it really is! Be sure to watch the previous videos! Transcription: In the last video, I talked about toothpaste solution coming from a laundry detergent solution. We talked about, how do […]

The Innovation Minute #19: Find Someone Else Who Has Solved Your Problem

Today is the first video in the “Shift” part of the FAST Innovation Model (Focus, Ask, Shift, Test). In this video I share a fun example that provides a different approach to finding breakthroughs. Hint: your years of expertise may not be helping! Be sure to watch the previous videos! Transcription: Today, we move to the […]

Good Ideas, Bad Results

Throughout history, people have had seemingly good ideas that didn’t work out as planned. These were good intentions that resulted in less than stellar results. For example, imagine that you are tasked with reducing pickpocket rates in an area known for this crime. You have millions of tourists from all over the world visiting your […]

When Innovating, No Doesn’t Always Mean No

The other day I posted an article about innovation on LinkedIn. I was surprised to find a comment from someone I worked with at Accenture over 15 years ago. To paraphrase, he said… No offence, but I remember at a meeting in London trying to demonstrate to you how (a specific software platform) could be a […]

Change the Question; Change Your Life

Many years back I consumed a massive amount of diet cola. 5 liters or more each day. I would unconsciously drink a 20-ounce bottle while working at my desk. It seemed like within 5 minutes it was empty, and I didn’t even recall drinking it. So I would buy another and consume it equally fast. […]

Different Questions = Different Answers

Last month my girlfriend and I were in Aruba. 5 days of bliss at the Marriott there. We were scheduled to fly home on a Friday. But when we woke up Thursday morning, we realized we were not ready to leave. We loved the island and wanted more! Fortunately we didn’t have plans for the […]