Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Innovation”
October 19th, 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 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 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 …
August 3, 2021 I discovered the work of Roy Spence in 2009 when he was developing the brand purpose for one of my clients. Roy had been working in the purpose arena long before it was a real ‘thing’. Since 1971, his agency GSD&M had developed purpose statements and activated them in the early days of big brands such as …
July 27, 2021 Have you ever had a brilliant idea that you knew would push sales through the roof? Or one on how to fix a problem but didn’t feel comfortable raising your hand to share it? Instead of shining, you let others pop off idea after idea because you’re worried that yours will sound stupid. And with looking ridiculous …
July 6, 2021 Everyone has that voice in their head. “I’m not qualified enough.” “I don’t have the time.” “I’m not ready for something so big.” We are programmed to be creatures of comfort; staying in our safe zones brings us peace. But when does peace become complacency? And when does complacency become stagnation? Instead of saying, “I’m not fit …
June 29, 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 …
June 22, 2021 What do Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and John Oliver have to do with a global pandemic? Everything, it turns out. In March 2020, people worldwide left the office for the day. Some are trickling back in the doors now. Others are waiting to see what local circumstances allow. In the midst of all of this was the …
June 15, 2021 It was the end of teaching a summer course in Colorado Springs, and Katharine couldn’t wait for one last adventure before she returned to Massachusetts. The group headed out to Pike’s Peak, one of Colorado’s 58 fourteeners—a mountain that tops out at over 14,000 feet. After a ride to the summit, she took a long, deep breath …
June 8, 2021 One of the stereotypes of innovation is that of disruption. Massive disruption. Companies like Uber, Netflix and Tesla are all icons of how quickly an industry can be turned up-side-down by the new kid on the block. One that does everything contrary to conventional thinking, yet earns massive attention and incredible success. Unfortunately, ‘disruptive innovation’ is often …
June 1, 2021 Last October, I signed up for a 30 kilometer (18 mile) trail run that hugs the perimeter of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. I haven’t run a race of that distance in four years. During that time, I’d begun to travel quite a bit more for work. My family and I moved to Spain and back …
May 6, 2021 It’s happened to all of us. We’ve missed the window to feed the meter and ended up with an annoying parking ticket. A sudden storm hit, and we got drenched in the rain between the garage and the concert venue. Or we’ve been late to an important interview because we couldn’t find a %$*&#! parking spot! When …
April 22, 2021 In one of the episodes of the US version of the comedy series The Office, Michael Scott rushes into the scene, demanding everyone give him ideas. As the regional manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, he has a reputation for his narcissistic behavior as a supervisor. On his way into the building that …
January 7, 2020 TAKE THE 30-DAY CREATIVITY CHALLENGE One the first day of class, a pottery teacher split her class into two halves. To the first half she said, “You will spend the semester studying pottery, planning, designing, and creating your perfect pot. At the end of the semester, we’ll have a competition to see whose pot is the best.” …
December 17, 2020 Find just the right something for the creative person in your life can feel like a lot of pressure. Some original thinkers are more hands on and others prefer more techie things. Regardless of the type you’re looking to please, here’s a list of 28 gifts that will show them you understand their tastes and want to …
December 3, 2020 It’s the time of year when people begin looking heavily at the change in the calendar and planning ahead. For every company, team and leader, strategic planning is the most important activity they do on a regular basis. It sets the tone for the vision of the company, and the priorities and milestones of getting there. Yet …
November 5, 2020 The manufacturer of window-unit air conditioners wanted customer input but they weren’t sure how to go about it without being overly technical in their questions. They knew the noise level of their units was loud, but they wanted to figure out if customers would pay more for a quieter unit. And if they did, how much would …
