PinnedThe 8 Books That Inspired The Most Ideas This YearReading books is one of my favorite hobbies and is my dominant source of inspiration that sparks new ideas. I love books that challenge me to think differently and that introduce me to new concepts. Some of my favorite books have been the ones that have sparked the most ideas…Books5 min read
Jun 20Continue Innovating During An Economic Downturn?The current economic downturn may have you feeling like you need to hunker down and wait it out. Especially in innovating during an economic downturn. This is understandable — no one wants to risk their hard-earned money in uncertain times. But this is actually the optimal time to take innovation…Recession5 min read
Published in The Helm·Jun 6Are Innovations Invented or Discovered?Are innovations invented or discovered? We have debated this question for many years. Some people believe innovations are inventions, while others believe they are discoveries. With people’s growing curiosity to understand how to be more creative, more innovative, there is a strong desire to learn the answer to this question…Inventions5 min read
Published in The Helm·Jun 1Innovation Arms Race: The Invisible RiskThe innovation arms race is the race to be the most innovative company in the world. It’s a competition where the prize is market share, customers, and profits. And the cost of entry is high. This is a competition where there is no finish line. To compete, companies must invest…Innovation8 min read
Published in The Helm·May 23The Thinking Skills Needed For SuccessHow often do we step back and think about how we think? Probably not often enough. However, understanding how we think is important if we want to improve the quality of our ideas and, as a result, our innovations. Periodically throughout my career, I have benefited from reflecting on how…Thinking5 min read
May 16How To Use First Principles Thinking To InnovateThinking is one of the essential skills a person must learn. It allows us to decide, solve problems, and come up with new ideas. And yet, many people never learn how to do it properly. The history of thinking goes back centuries. The ancient Greeks were some of the first…Thinking7 min read
May 9Hindsight Is Not 20/20 — The Hindsight FallacyWe seldom see things in a clear light until after they have occurred. However, the way we recall events may not be accurate. Our brains fill in the blanks of our memory with what we think happened. Memory is not like a video recorder; it is malleable and can be…Hindsight5 min read
May 2If People Would Behave Decently, The World Would Be Decent!Charles Dickens is quoted as saying: “If men would behave decently, the world would be decent.” This is so true! If we want to see a change in the world, it starts with each one of us behaving decently. When we are kind, compassionate, and respectful to others, we set…Change6 min read
Apr 25(Preparing For) A Failure of ImaginationWith organizational failures, the imagination is often at fault. We can’t imagine things going wrong, so we don’t plan for them. Organizations can’t imagine that their employees would do something unethical, so they don’t have policies in place to prevent it. Owners can’t imagine that a natural disaster could destroy…Imagination8 min read
Apr 18The Innovation Skills and Attributes I Look For When Hiring InnovatorsDo you think of life as a game? It’s more than just an analogy. Life really is a game, and there are rules. Rules that can help us survive and thrive. This article will show you how to win this one-in-a-million chance at life by knowing how to make others…Skills9 min read