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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.

The 36-Hour Lesson: When Reliability Made My Innovation Career

The flashiest ideas don't change the world—follow-through does. While we worship creative geniuses, reliable warriors who execute transform industries.

While we worship creative geniuses, reliable warriors who execute transform industries.

Intellectual Generosity: Why Sharing Ideas Creates More Value Than Protecting Them

Giving away your best thinking generates unexpected returns. Your best ideas create more value when shared freely rather than guarded jealously.

Sharing your ideas returns in greater value than holding on to them.

7 Physical Thinking Tools That Will Improve Your Creativity More Than AI

In a world obsessed with digital tools and AI-generated solutions, it's easy to forget the original engines of creative transformation—our hands, our senses, and the objects we manipulate. Sure, artificial intelligence can analyze patterns faster than we can blink. But if you're searching for

The Innovators Studio podcast cover art: 7 Physical Thinking Tools That Will Improve Your Creativity More Than AI

Think Like Bill Gates: The 6-Step System That Built Microsoft and is Changing the World

What made Microsoft possible? Binary code, four kilobytes of memory, and 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. But what truly set Bill Gates apart was a distinct system for solving problems—a mental algorithm that turned complexity into clarity and chaos into systems. The real genius of Bill Gates isn&

The Innovators Studio podcast cover art: Think Like Bill Gates: The 6-Step System That Built Microsoft and is Changing the World

Dangerous Ideas: Why We Fear Innovation (And Why We Shouldn't)

The psychology behind innovation resistance runs deep. History reveals bizarre examples of once "dangerous" technologies we now take for granted. Our fear-first reaction might be our most human trait — for better and worse.

Dangerous Ideas: Why We Fear Innovation (And Why We Shouldn't)

Think Like Steve Jobs: 6 Strategies Behind Billion Dollar Ideas

When you think of game-changing innovation, one name stands above the rest—Steve Jobs. His ability to reimagine entire industries didn’t come from technical know-how alone; his way of thinking truly set him apart. Steve Jobs approached problem-solving and creativity in a way that merged art

The Innovators Studio podcast cover art: Think Like Steve Jobs: 6 Strategies Behind Billion Dollar Ideas

Moving to Substack: A New Chapter

Innovation veteran Phil McKinney launches "Studio Notes" on Substack—revealing untold stories from 30 years of innovation leadership. What really happens in Fortune 100 boardrooms? Discover raw wisdom from failures and successes. Experience innovation's human journey as lived, not taught.

Moving to Substack: A New Chapter

Pay It Forward: How Three Words Created Podcasting's Longest-Running Innovation Show

Have you ever wondered what it takes to build something that lasts? Not just a fleeting success, but a platform that grows, evolves, and continues to impact people decades later? The answer isn't high-end production equipment or a flawless business plan. It starts with a simple idea:

Season 20 of the podcast

Tesla vs Edison: The Innovation Methods That Changed The World

On a stormy night in the 1880s, two men were working relentlessly to shape the future of electricity. In Menlo Park, Thomas Edison meticulously tested another filament variation for his electric light, documenting every failure in his growing logbook. Across New York, Nikola Tesla paced frantically, visualizing complete rotating magnetic

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How To Think Like Thomas Edison

In 1878, gas lamp manufacturers celebrated their dominance, believing their industry was untouchable. But in a small workshop in Menlo Park, Thomas Edison made a bold declaration: he would create an electric light so revolutionary that it would make gas lamps obsolete. The press mocked him. Experts dismissed him. Even

The Innovators Studio podcast cover art: How To Think Like Thomas Edison