Changing the world
Stop trying to change other people, change yourself. Better yet stop trying to change yourself, be completely yourself and the world changes with you.
Making the strategic leap for innovation
Innovation is the seed of growth and involves a dynamic interplay between social creativity and business strategy. In order to build a strong team or organization these two forces must be complimentary otherwise innovation will fail no matter how many books you read or people you consult with to help you innovate. You must make space for your people’s ingenuity to shine and give them freedom to be entrepreneurial within the organization. In essence, the leadership work is to create the environment where new ideas can take off, no matter where they emerge in the organization. Strategy shapes the work environment so take a look at your own framework and determine if there is room for breakthrough thinking. 3M dedicates 30% of sales revenues in its four year projections to…
Innovation for dummies
Innovation is fuzzy language. It’s an abstract concept for most people. In basic terms, it is an act of exploration and discovery. It is a daily practice of courage and mindfulness to see the world as it is, take imaginative leaps into the future, and take smart risks for implementing appropriate solutions. In The Innovator’s DNA, Clayton Christenson and his colleagues conducted research on innovative people and firms (Amazon, Google, Apple, etc.) and concluded that the top skills for mastering disruptive innovation are observing, questioning, associating, experimenting, and networking. Anyone looking to create any sort of change would be engaged in these activities to some degree. This is basic sense. As children we do these things naturally, it is ingrained into who we are, but as we grow older we…
Innovation starts in the trenches
Change is an inherent quality of innovation, but is also about appreciating the complexity of what is without the incessant need to change it. IDEO, a global innovation firm, applies a technique called design thinking which begins any innovation effort by empathizing with people and asking them questions. Designers do not jump the gun on gathering ideas too soon, but rather they explore the reality of what people are seeing and how they are feeling, and then defining the scope of the problem that they want to tackle. Paul Polak, inventor and author of End of Poverty, suggests that in order to alleviate poverty we must go to where the action is, talk to the people who are affected, and really understand the root cause of the situation. Otherwise wanting…
Maximize flow, minimize worry
Flow is a positive psychological state where a person is at their optimal state of focus and creativity. When we are in flow, our total concentration is directed at the current activity without any worry or distraction. One could think of flow as a sacred state of immersion where your identity dissolves and you are drawn to the spontaneous expression of your art, whatever it may be in the moment. We may come in and out of the orbit of flow throughout the day; the goal is to learn how to get “in the zone” more often. You can flow with any activity. Whether you are writing, having a conversation, or cooking, you can listen and play along with the details and images that are present. Focus your attention on…