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# Finding and Keeping Innovation Champions
- URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/finding-and-keeping-innovation-champions/
- Published: 2007-10-15T07:19:54.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-01T14:10:32.000Z
- Author: Phil McKinney
- Tags: Past Shows, Studio Sessions, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-03-26 05:08

Download [KI\_20071014.mp3](http://media.libsyn.com/media/philmckinney/KI%5F20071014.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)

![262769292_cc44532668_m](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/b8/5bb8ac0c-fd54-4eb9-a76b-b472ce9fa849/content/images/killerinnovations-com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/262769292_cc44532668_m.jpg)

### Segment 1: Finding and Keeping Innovation Champions

What are innovation champions?

- Passionate about an idea
- Will do almost anything to see the idea become a reality

Why are they iimportant?

- Give me a person with passion and I can build a team that will succeed
- An innovation champion, in many cases, is the difference between success and failure

How do you find them?

- Ask people “what are you working on that is exciting?”. The passion will come out …
- Look for people with a unique voice on their passion (blogs, social network sites, etc)

How do you keep them? What motivates them?

- They want to realize their dream
- Protect them from the corporate anti-bodies
- Give the champion the authority to be the advocate for the vision
- Use proper resource management (constrained innovation) to ensure success

Be careful to avoid the “1 hit wonders”

- Be aware that champions go through ups and downs depending on the cycle of their projects
- Think two the three projects ahead of your champions
- Challenge them with “hard problems” for them to solve on their next projects

If you are a champion, how do you make yourself known?

- Share your authentic passion
- Contribute to existing projects (show off your passion)
- Create your portfolio

### Segment 2: Creativity Exercise – The McGyver/Apollo 13 Method

You are given a problem/objective

Open your desk drawer, purse, briefcase

Only use items you have

Create as many ideas within 20 minutes

Task

- You got to work and realized your forgot to get a gift for co-workers upcoming wedding
- Use only items within your reach
- Each idea you develop must be practical (describe its uses)
- Each idea must be made from two or more items

How many can you come up with in 20 minutes?

List your ideas in the comments … send me photo’s and I will post them …

**Segment 3: Listener Question**

*How do you find adjacencies for an innovation? (Byron)*