Stop Being Negative: Become an Anti-Critic
It’s an unfortunate fact that the world is full of critics who feel that it’s their place to put others down left and right, based on their ideas, actions, and even personal beliefs. It seems that being negative is the order of the day, based on its prevalence among TV pundits, editorials, and anony
United States Innovation Problem and How We Can Solve It
The United States used to be the undisputed global leader in innovation. In the past, we put a large portion of our considerable economic power behind research and development, with the goal of becoming and remaining the most innovative country in the world. However, in the past few decades, America
The Recipe for Innovation Success
Success in innovation isn’t going to happen overnight, nor does it happen as a matter of chance. There’s nothing preordained about successful innovation. There are a number of factors that can contribute to the ultimate success or failure of your latest idea, but the basic formula that I’ve learned
9 Daily Exercises that I Do to Keep My Creative Muscle in Shape
No matter what profession you’re in, it’s important that you’re able to think creatively and look at your work with fresh eyes every day. Unfortunately, however, it may feel like a challenge to constantly be at the top of your game. The common question I get is “what exercises do you perform to keep
What is the linkage between travel and creativity that inspired Hemingway, Twain and others?
What is it about travel that has developed a reputation for increasing creativity within an already-flexible mind? Many sources reference Hemingway, Twain, and others as traveling creators – that is, authors who did some of their best work during or following international travel. Something about th
Why is Slack Time So Important to Innovation?
In the modern workplace, it seems time is one of the most precious commodities – and getting scarcer by the day. Employees are encouraged to work from the moment they sit down at their desks until the moment they clock out, with minimal breaks in between. Sometimes, even bathroom breaks and opportun
Does being like Steve Jobs and being harsh with your staff get you better performance?
The late Steve Jobs was the visionary who took Apple from the office desktop to the user’s back pocket. His reputation on stage was as a hard-charging, success-driven leader, and his audience responded with cheers and fist pumps as customers flocked to buy his latest brainchild. What was his secret
Pinocchio with a PhD: An Appeal for Ethical Innovation
In recent years, a growing number of innovators has falsified or fabricated their ideas and their work in order to gain prestige and undeserved credibility. Furthermore, instead of this scandal being the work of a few innovators led astray, it seems that the issue of unethical behavior in research i
Overcome Habituation by Hearing the Background Noise
You might miss the next game-changing innovation because you don’t see it. Maybe you don’t see the problem anymore. Maybe you’ve been desensitized by habituation – you’re so used to the world as it is that you can’t distinguish the idea from the background noise. You go on with your activities and c
Create Opportunity: On Malcolm Gladwell, Impressionism, and Being a Big Fish in a Small Pond
Who isn’t familiar with the Impressionists? Most of us, no matter how little we may know about art, have heard of Monet and Renoir. Impressionism makes an impact on the human psyche with its sublime, colorful landscapes and distinctive human subjects. It’s not an exact representation of the world
