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Phil McKinney

Phil McKinney is an innovator, podcaster, author, and speaker. He is the retired CTO of HP. Phil's book, Beyond The Obvious, shares his expertise and lessons learned on innovation and creativity.

Mindjacking: When Your Opinions Aren't Yours

Every day you make decisions you think are yours. Most aren't. The algorithm decided, the expert weighed in, the crowd chose. You just clicked agree.

Be careful for mindjacking. It is when others take over thinking for you.

How I Mindjacked Boards for a Living

A Confession from Inside the Consulting Industrial Complex

Mindjacking boards by using what consultants call best practices. I was good at it.

CES 2026: Battle of the AI Robots

From AI toilets to fire trucks that shave seconds off response times, here's what 50,000 steps on the show floor revealed about where tech is headed.

CES 2026: Battle of the AI Robots

Mental Models — Your Thinking Toolkit

NASA engineers and management had the same data. Their conclusions were 1000x apart. The difference? The mental tools they used to think.

Mental Models — Your Thinking Toolkit

The Million-Dollar Decision I Got Wrong (And Why I'm Grateful)

I built 3COM's largest network. Then I turned down the job offer.

The Million-Dollar Decision I Got Wrong (And Why I'm Grateful)

The Military Ignored His Brain Injury. So He Built What Could Have Saved His Brothers.

A Navy SEAL's fight against the invisible wounds killing America's elite warriors.

The Military Ignored His Brain Injury. So He Built What Could Have Saved His Brothers.

They Accused Me of Fraud. It Made $20 Billion.

What happens when numbers stop making sense and the government needs a scapegoat?

They Accused Me of Fraud. It Made $20 Billion.

What I'm Actually Thankful For (After My Body Failed Three Times This Year)

Five cardiac surgeries taught me the difference between Thanksgiving platitudes and what you're grateful for when the clock is screaming.

What I'm Actually Thankful For (After My Body Failed Three Times This Year)

From Teligent Disaster to HP Success: A Second-Order Thinking Story

Kevin Allodi thought three moves ahead when I wasn't thinking past the first. His decision saved my family—and taught me the framework I use for billion-dollar calls.

From Teligent Disaster to HP Success: A Second-Order Thinking Story

I'm Thinking About Writing a Book. Here's Why—And I Need Your Help.

I'm turning two years of essays into a book on thinking independently. Read the concept and tell me what you think.

I'm Thinking About Writing a Book. Here's Why—And I Need Your Help.