Just imagine what you can do
Do you take the time to just imagine. Yes, John Lennon had it right about imagination, and you can too. Imagination It is the first step in any creative process. Without imagination, it would be sad to think where our world would be. Just consider the man who imagined bending a piece of metal in a f
How cutting edge technology makes the familiar better
I’m amused by the different answers I get when I ask people what certain terms mean to them. One example is “cutting edge” technology which is a term often used interchangeably with “state of the art” technology. So what does it mean to me? Let me take an extreme position (which I’m sure will elici
How to invent an opportunity with luck and innovation
Have you ever wondered what it takes to get an opportunity out of thin air? You might think it takes a lot of good luck to come across them, but that’s not the case. We invent our opportunities more often than we stumble across them. “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder […]
Does Brainstorming Deserve its Bad Rap?
In the last few years, brainstorming has been shot down, put down, and dismissed. Why? Has the brainstorming process lived past its usefulness? Since 1941, when Alex Osborn changed the culture of advertising with innovative, nonjudgmental thought-generating, brainstorming has been a major part of th
Are customers a source of ideas for innovation?
Of course, innovation should be customer focused. At a minimum, most companies will conduct a focus group, survey, or other market research periodically to gauge customers needs and wants. This data is provided to innovation teams, as one of many inputs, to help them frame the ideas that will lead t
Hey, What’s the Next Big Idea?! Look for Answers From Your Employees Rather Than Outside Experts
One old idea that continues to block the route to new ones is that only certain people in an organization has the answers to business problems or the ability to find “the next big idea“. The fact of the matter is that, when it comes to innovation, executives with heaps of industry experience are mo
Small Business Ideas That Went Big
Everyone has to start somewhere and this is often true with a small business. Starting off with small business ideas doesn’t have to stay small, however. There are many that can grow into giants. In today’s world of small business, we can take inspiration from those who took a little idea and turned
Rogue Rage: Four Questions to Transform Anger into Innovation Opportunity
Every person and organization says they want to change, to innovate, to grow. In a fast-paced business environment, standing still might as well be moving backward. But what happens when every idea, every innovation, is met with apathy, defensiveness, or outright hostility from the corporate antibod
Creativity in the Name of Social Innovation: Embrace Global Receives Social & Economic Innovations Award
When an idea meets a passion for social innovation, a little creativity can save a life… or millions. The latest reminder came from the co-founders at Embrace Global (Jane Chen, Rahul Panicker, Naganand Murty and Linus Liang) who were recently named winners of the 2013 Social & Economic Innovations
Beyond The Obvious Translations Available in English, Japanese, Korean and Chinese
When I signed my book deal with Hyperion to publish my book, Beyond The Obvious, it also included global rights. What this meant was that Hyperion purchased the right to have Beyond The Obvious translations in any language they choose. As an update, Beyond The Obvious has now been translated and rel
