Ask Questions: The Single Most Important Habit for Innovative Thinkers
Questions are the best way to gain deeper insights and develop more innovative solutions. So why do so few people utilize them, asks Paul Sloane?
The innovation ‘war room’
The key to surviving the global downturn is to focus on strategic renewal - adapting your company and its business models and strategies to the new market conditions - according to author Rowan Gibson.
How to use creative problem solving to get a job – even during an economic downturn
The late Earl Nightingale, known as "the dean of personal development," once related this story in one of his audiotapes that speaks to the challenges we face today, and why creative problem solving is more important than ever.
Managing change in an innovative world
Natalie Jenkins explains how adopting a set of creative thinking methods can help to prepare you for today's world of constant change and upheaval.
The six attributes of innovation leaders
In his new book, Innovation Leaders: How Senior Executives Stimulate, Steer and Sustain Innovation, Jean-Philippe Deschamps explains that innovation leaders are unique and rare individuals who must possess a unique set of seemingly opposed characteristics.
Creative Collaboration: Lessons from Improv Theater
Creativity flows best when we don't try to channel it, but give ourselves the freedom to explore and play, according to Michelle James. In this article, she explores the parallels between cultivating creativity and the free-flow that takes place during an improvizational play.
The state of innovation
Boris Pluskowski provides us with an overview of the current state of innovation in this guest post.
Better Brainstorming: How to Improve Quick and Dirty Idea Reviews
Quick and dirty idea reviews, used to efficiently process the wealth of ideas generated in the typical corporate brainstorming sessions, may unwittingly throw away some valuable ideas. Here are several ways to avoid that mistake, according to Jeffrey Baumgartner.
12 capacities of ‘natural’ entrepreneurs
Dave Pollard's new book, Finding the Sweet Spot: The Natural Entrepreneur's Guide to Responsible, Sustainable, Joyful Work, is now available. This book explains how to uncover what you're naturally gifted at, and how to discover unmet needs and transform them into a "natural" business that helps you to achieve your true calling in life. Not surprisingly, personal innovation is a recurring theme throughout the book.
To Spur Innovation, Break Down Internal Barriers
Within larger organizations one of the biggest obstacles to innovation is poor internal communication. Every organization has to find ways to promote internal communication and collaboration and to fight internal division and competition. Here are some ideas from Paul Sloane for breaking down barriers to communication.
Utilizing consumer feedback for improvement and breakthrough innovation
Organizations have had varying degrees of success in utilizing consumer research in their innovation processes. According to Ellen Di Resta, this is typically due to a misalignment of expectations for how directly the consumer can influence the product development process.
Effective Idea Selection is Critical to Systematic Innovation
In many companies there is no obvious strategy for selecting or even evaluating ideas. According to author Robert B. Tucker, a clear set of criteria for screening ideas and having properly-trained people on the selection team is critical to systematic innovation.
To increase innovation, reduce fear
Our fears narrow our perceptions, limit our potential, stifle our creativity and exhaust the energy for innovation, according to Andrew Papageorge.
Innovation check-up: Is your company dying from root rot?
You need to analyze your organization and culture to assess its innovation capacity with the same intensity as you do the rest of your business, warns Carol Franczek. Otherwise, you may find your firm suffering from the symptoms of "root rot."
Bad attitudes can lead to good innovation – so hire some rebels
How can you build a team that is innovative, dynamic and capable of finding breakthroughs for tough problems? How can you avoid repeating dreary routines and find sparkling new ideas instead? What can you do to turn a division 2 team into Premiership winners? One way is to make sure that among your solid citizens you have a good sprinkling of rebels, according to Paul Sloane.
Strategies for innovating in an economic downturn
A few weeks ago, I asked you to share with me your strategies for maintaining or expanding their innovation initiatives in the current global economic downturn. Here's what you had to say.
Building an Effective Framework for Innovation
How do you turn innovation from a marketing concept into something tangible with an impact on the bottom line? There is of course no simple answer, and to succeed a different way of thinking and working is required
How to start a revolution by changing how we discuss ideas
Constructive criticism from managers can take the wind out of employees ideas and can undermine your organization's innovation efforts, warns Carol Franczek. Here is a four-step process that supports more productive conversations, and creates space to both support ideas and raise issues that need to be addressed about them.
Learn to think visually – or else
Jamie Nast, author of the popular book Idea Mapping and the Idea Mapping Success Blog, is one of the most world's most prolific trainers and speakers on the topic of visual mapping. In this interview, she explains why it
The Best Strategies for Dealing with Disruptive Innovation
What lessons can you learn about handling disruptive innovation? Author Jeffrey Baumgartner uses several examples from the photography market to highlight successful strategies for dealing with this increasingly common phenomenon.
How do you Build and Sustain a Culture and Climate for Innovation and Entrepreneurship?
The fifth major issue to be tackled by our distinguished panel of innovation practitioners is innovation culture, specifically: How do you build and sustain a culture and climate for innovation and entrepreneurship, and how do you encourage "smart risk taking" and drive out fear of failure?
New ‘Marks and Meaning’ book explores the fascinating world of visual thinking
Dave Gray, the founder and Chairman of XPLANE (a firm that has great expertise in communicating complex concepts and processes visually), has published a pre-release version of his new book, Marks and Meaning. It's a fascinating read, one which I highly recommend, and an innovative approach to publishing a book.
Facing recession? Reductive innovation can help
These days, it seems as if the entire global economy is headed for the doldrums. A number of countries and regions stand at the brink of recession. What
To be an Innovator, Confront your Assumptions
Every time that we approach a problem, in any walk of life, we bring to bear assumptions that limit our ability to conceive fresh solutions, warns Paul Sloane. Brilliant thinkers are always aware of assumptions and are always happy to confront them.