Two Years of Hard Work
Two years ago today – October 18, 2022 – I sat on a park bench overlooking a river. I was reflecting on what was next for my business. It was a calm and peaceful day. As it turns out, that was my last truly peaceful moment at work. Because at that time, I decided to […]
Stop Worrying About the Novelty of Your Ideas
Innovation does not need to be new or original. It just needs to be valuable… One of my favorite quotes comes from Mark Twain: “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them […]
An Interview with the Writer of TV’s “Monk”: What Innovators Can Learn from Mysteries
I’ve always found that innovation and mysteries have a lot in common. They both involve solving complex problems, and sometimes making the impossible possible. This is why I primarily read and watch mysteries during my spare time. They force me question my thinking in order to see the clues. One of my all-time favorite television […]
People Don’t Want Creativity
People don’t want creativity. They may say they do, but there is a strong anti-creativity bias in most organizations. And unfortunately this bias happens at an subconscious level. This video shares some interesting findings from a study by Cornell University (my alma mater) – and the implications. Note that the video talks about “newness.” In […]
You Don’t Know Your Customers
Just because you KNEW your industry and customers, doesn’t mean you KNOW them. Our past experiences can limit our ability to see new opportunities. According to the World Economic Forum, complex problem-solving is the most important soft skill companies and individuals need right now. I would argue that complex problem-formulation is what is needed. The […]
Good To Gone
Your past success can lead to future failure. If you are focused on opportunities based on your past experience, you may be solving irrelevant problems. This segment is called “Good to Gone” as we discuss some of the companies that were once the largest in their industry, but they are now gone or on life […]
Better Virtual Meetings Using My 25 Lenses
In my latest book, Invisible Solutions, I share 25 lenses that can reframe and help solve nearly any difficult business problem. To demonstrate the power of the lenses, I am creating a series of videos that show how they can be used to generate creative – and sometimes previously hidden – solutions to some common […]
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 […]
The Ultimate Virtual Meeting Experience
Although we can’t meet in person, it doesn’t mean we can’t create incredible learning experiences with networking conversations and deep learning. The short video below shares insights on a new collaboration I established with Action Learning Associates to provide the ultimate virtual learning experience. This specially curated environment (called the Virtual Executive Education Campus, aka […]
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, […]