Beyond The Obvious - By Phil McKinney

Discover the questions that spark killer breakthrough innovation. Learn the proven FIRE framework for generating and executing game-changing ideas.

Killer Questions That Spark Game-Changing Innovation

Stop Asking the Wrong Questions. Start Generating Breakthrough Ideas.

The problem is simple: Most companies are teaching their teams to ask the wrong questions about innovation—or worse, no questions at all. In a world where continuous reinvention isn't optional, clinging to "obvious ideas that worked in the past" is a recipe for irrelevance.

The solution is proven: Transform how you think, innovate, and create with the battle-tested framework used at HP and leading companies worldwide.

Why This Book Will Change Your Monday

Dubbed the "Innovation Guru" by Vanity Fair, Phil McKinney spent decades as CTO of HP, leading teams that Fast Company and BusinessWeek named among the "50 Most Innovative." Now, for the first time, he's sharing the exact methods that generate game-changing products and services—starting with the power-packed questions he's carried on note cards throughout his career.

Beyond the Obvious isn't another innovation book filled with theory. It's an actionable guide that arms you with the skills to ask razor-sharp questions that lead to better ideas and more effective innovations.

The FIRE Method: Your Four-Step Path to Innovation

Unlike unguided brainstorming that leads nowhere, the FIRE Method provides structure and results:

F - FOCUS: Zero in on the essential aspects of any problem or situation using targeted questions that reveal what truly matters.

I - IDEATION: Generate breakthrough ideas by questioning industry assumptions, exploring customer evolution, and challenging your unshakable beliefs.

R - RANK: Cut through the noise. Identify which ideas deserve your resources and which ones don't.

E - EXECUTION: Transform ideas into reality using constraint-based innovation—the secret weapon that forces teams to think differently and deliver faster.

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Master the Killer Questions

The +40 battle-tested questions in the book will reframe how you see your products, customers, and competitive landscape. For example:

What are the rules and assumptions my industry operates under? What if the opposite were true?
What will be the buying criteria used by my customer in five years?
Who uses my product in ways I never anticipated?
What are my unshakable beliefs about what my customers want?

Each question is designed to trigger new insights, challenge conventional wisdom, and unlock your natural creative potential.

What the Experts Say

"Phil McKinney is an innovation expert, and his killer questions and hit-the-spot anecdotes provide a great way to get out in front of opportunities we otherwise won't see."
— Geoffrey Moore, Author of Crossing the Chasm

"An empowering new voice for business readers, Phil McKinney will change your Monday with his rule-breaking approach to harnessing the power of innovation. This book is a killer read for anyone who hopes to triumphantly succeed and not just survive."
— Peter Guber, Author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Tell to Win

"Many assumptions about our business ultimately turn out to be wrong. In Beyond The Obvious, Phil McKinney arms readers with the skills to ask razor-sharp questions that lead to better ideas and more effective innovations."
— Wendell P. Weeks, Chairman and CEO, Corning

"Valuable and ready for immediate use."
— Kirkus Reviews

Who This Book Is For

Whether you're an entrepreneur launching your first startup, a business leader managing thousands, or a creative professional looking to unlock your potential, Beyond the Obvious delivers:

✓ Real-world examples from HP, Kroger, FedEx, and beyond
✓ Customizable frameworks that adapt to any industry or organization
✓ Battle-tested strategies for defending ideas against "corporate antibodies"
✓ Proven methods for overcoming fear and resistance to change
✓ Tools to identify and execute your best ideas—not just generate them

The Innovation Myth Debunked

You don't need to be born creative. Innovation isn't a gift reserved for a chosen few. It's a skill anyone can develop with the right questions and framework. This book proves it—and shows you exactly how.

Want More Innovation Decision-Making Insights?

Join thousands of leaders getting Phil's Studio Notes—unfiltered lessons from 30 years of high-stakes innovation decisions, including billion-dollar successes, spectacular failures, and the decision frameworks that separate the two.

Weekly insights delivered straight to your inbox. No fluff, just real stories about why smart leaders make terrible choices about breakthrough ideas—and how to avoid those costly mistakes.

About Phil McKinney

Phil McKinney, the author of Beyond The Obvious, is the retired CTO of HP and current CEO of CableLabs.

Phil McKinney is an award-winning innovator whose technologies and products are used daily by hundreds of millions worldwide. As retired CTO of HP and now CEO of CableLabs, he is a recognized expert in innovation decision making—helping leaders understand why smart people consistently make terrible choices about breakthrough ideas and how to avoid those costly mistakes.

Dubbed the "Innovation Guru" by Vanity Fair, McKinney led teams at HP that Fast Company and BusinessWeek named among the "50 Most Innovative." His real expertise comes from 30 years of high-stakes innovation decisions: billion-dollar successes, spectacular failures, and the decision frameworks that separate the two.

Author of "Beyond The Obvious: Killer Questions That Spark Game-Changing Innovation," McKinney shares his insights through the Killer Innovations podcast (20+ million downloads since 2005), his YouTube channel, and Studio Notes on Substack—revealing the unfiltered truth about how strategic innovation choices actually get made. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and major media worldwide.

McKinney helps leaders master innovation decision making with frameworks that work under uncertainty, not theoretical ideals that fail in boardrooms.

Don't Let Conventional Thinking Hold You Back

In a rapidly changing world where staying ahead requires constant innovation, the difference between thriving and merely surviving comes down to one thing: asking the right questions.

Order Beyond the Obvious today and begin your journey to becoming a more effective innovator.

Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. Want your copy personally autographed? Order from Innovation.Tools and add a note at checkout.

272 pages | Published by Hyperion | ISBN: 978-1-4013-2446-9

Note: 100% of the author's royalties from book sales are donated to charity.

For media inquiries, speaking opportunities, or bulk orders, visit PhilMcKinney.com

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