March 1, 2022 If you asked 10 different people to define innovation, you’d get 20 different responses. It’s one of those things that seems simple to define and understand but turns complicated when you’re pressed for specifics. It’s no wonder. Innovation has turned into one of the biggest cliché words executives use to talk about how they differentiate their companies …
February 15, 2022 Ideas are like parking spots: The more you need one the less likely they are to show up. There’s a simple tool, however, that can change all that. This image is a Necker cube. It’s an illustration of a three-dimensional object that’s designed to alternate between two perspectives. One is a cube facing down and left, and …
February 1, 2022 For 22 years, global communications company Edelman has followed the topic of trust in global business. There have been a tremendous amount of ebbs and flows, disruptions and changes, but few have matched the upheaval in who people turn to for trusted information than the last two years. Elections. Pandemics. Governmental upheaval. Climate change. Supply chain disruption. …
January 18, 2022 January is International Creativity Month. Because of this, I wanted to take a few minutes and answer a question that people regularly ask me: What should I read to get better at creativity? Following are the 18 best books I’ve read that I believe will help you become a better creative thinker. This applies if you feel …
January 5, 2022 It seems forever ago that we heard the term “Web 2.0” and waded into the post-dotcom world of the web as a platform and social networking. Twenty years later, headlines are coming hard and fast about Web 3.0. What’s the big difference? Ownership. Web 1.0 was about static web pages and helping people find things. Web 2.0 …
December 14, 2021 In 1999, Carey Smith started a company called the HVLS Fan Co. This name (an acronym for High Volume Low Speed) described the types of fans his company sold: massively big ones that move a huge amount of air but at very low speeds. They’re the kinds you see hanging from ceilings in places that aren’t practical …
December 8, 2021 Most of our day centers around computer screens, phones, or tablets. It can be easy to forget that when you send an email or hit the “publish” button that there’s a real, live person on the other end. We fall into a digital trap that causes us to think and talk like robots! People constantly throw out …
November 16, 2021 Our health is our wealth. Without it, we can’t live up to our full potential or achieve all of the feats we have in our brilliant minds. So when something goes wrong, and we need to take a trip to the hospital or doctor’s office, we want to have the best possible conditions. Innovation is important in …
November 9, 2021 The first time I saw the Eiffel Tower in Paris I was awe-struck. This architectural wonder is one of the most notable buildings in the world. It’s the backdrop of romantic movies, espionage thrillers, and globe-trotting travel articles. But where did Gustave Eiffel get his inspiration for this iconic structure? The inspiration came when two engineers on …
November 3, 2021 There’s a lot of struggles that come with climbing to the top of a mountain. And once you get there, the view is fantastic. Aaahhhh….you’ve arrived! But now what? How do you stop the harsh winds from knocking you backward, causing a massive snowball effect that forces you back to where you started? That’s easy: Vigilance with …
October 26, 2021 When we have an idea we’re passionate about, excitement radiates from us. Sometimes, all that enthusiasm makes it hard to articulate why it’s so brilliant and why others should think so, too. This can be super frustrating. It also puts your whole idea at risk for getting left on the cutting room floor before it ever has …
October 19, 2021 Where you grow up has a big effect on who you are. People from a big city are used to crowds and the hustle-bustle. Small town folks, on the other hand, tend to appreciate a more laid-back, peaceful life on a cul-de-sac where they know all their neighbors’ names. Culture comes from many different areas in our …
October 12, 2021 So much of business is focused on investors and profits. What’s forgotten is the heart of the equation – customers and the employees who serve them. When a business sets its sights on how to give back to the world through their people, they’re able to make the world a better place. Not only that, but everyone …
October 5, 2021 On the first day of a new job or when joining a networking group, people get bombarded with introducing themselves. Between awkward silences, uncomfortable eye contact, then a quick swap of job titles and company names, the opportunity to become memorable goes down the drain. When we talk about ourselves, the default is to mimic the examples …
September 28, 2021 Asking for what you need can be tough. Asking for what you deserve? Even harder. In business, getting the money and resources you need to be successful isn’t a solo operation. It means putting yourself out there, and not being afraid of the word ‘no.’ If you want to set yourself up to succeed, you need to …
September 21, 2021 It’s a Friday night on the town. You’ve scanned Google reviews and online menus feverishly, craving a meal you can rave about to all your coworkers come Monday. You flip a coin to decide where to spend your hard-earned cash. It comes down to two contenders: the hole-in-the-wall place that you’ve heard about through the grapevine, or …
September 14, 2021 Picture yourself in a parking lot packed full of cars in a downpour. You’re hauling five overstuffed bags in each hand, and you can feel the handles start to give from the dampness. You’re in a sea of bobbing umbrellas and rain jackets, but you can’t see your car…anywhere. Is it over by the lamppost? No, wait, …
September 7, 2021 When someone says, “There are no wrong answers,” do you believe them? Or do you start sweating nervously, second guessing every thought you’ve ever had, and then ditch the idea of contributing all together? It happens to the best of us. Being innovative takes guts. You have to put yourself out there and ignore that clammy anxious …
August 27, 2021 “The revolving door of the marketing C-Suite has been greased.” – Ryan Barwick, Morning Brew Over the last 20 years, the shoulders of a chief marketing officer have gotten incredibly broad. Well, that is, if they want to be able to outlive the average month tenure of their office. At nearly every turn, the role of the …
August 31, 2021 Have you ever felt like the future was out of your control? That anything could come for your job security, or being able to provide for yourself or your family? The number of people out of work hit record highs last year. This made people’s theoretical fear of spiraling out of control an undeniable reality. Dealing with …
